#and the idea of the husband having the responsibility to protect the wife. and divorce is failing that responsibility | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sunmizuiro · 4 months

Text

Y'all I think I'm onto something.

(First 5 episodes spoilers I guess)

"this kingdom was something she really cared about. Something I care about."

Charlie said in the first episode, and adding in the pilot at first she reached and called to her absent mother instead of Lucifer (who were also absent in her life but you know he was still around—)

and we all know why because their relationship wasn't a close one until episode 5 and eventually more so in the future. It all makes sense, let me just share this that may be a reasonor reasons— why Lilith and Lucifer got separated-

and I'd like to clarify since I saw some people commenting the same idea many times which is not a bad thing that no one in the serie ever talked about a divorce, the couple in the pictures (found in the mansion or room ,I have no idea, of the short king) looks deeply in love just like mentioned in the story telling of Story of Hell by Charlie (episode 1), and Lucifer is still wearing the ring, so there is no divorce as far as I know. Like you can see how Lilith looks so happy just like Lucifer.

So Lucifer doesn't give a shit about the sinners right? Maybe even generally his people(I could be wrong about this but that's what I understood), given that yes he is right they are awful but he wasn't only a bad father but technically a bad king since it seems that Lilith was the one with the hope that Lucifer lost, sang as much as she could for her kingdom' sake and really ruled over Hell(we love a powerful strong woman with authority lmao). Yes Lucifer loves his family deeply but he became more depressed when Lilith left for unknown reasons... I am not trying to say that Lucifer is fully the bad guy here no that is not my intention but just to see how Lilith and himself think about giving a shit about protection or not- like just acting like a good ruler y'know?

🐤

Lucifer is one of my favourite characters in Hazbin Hotel alright? So the first line that I shared in the beginning of this theory? You noticed how Lilith cared about their kingdom but sweet Lucifer who's been coping with creating rubber ducks and before even she left Lu' wasn't that idealistic dreamer back when he was an angel, right? He dissociates and didn't remember in details when Charlie talked to him about the hotel or even when he was inside, man doesn't even who the hell is Alastor which he is one of the scariest overlords wondering that Alastor got more pissed off because he always seek to know his image and if others remember or missed him after the seven years of absense..King of Hell do not know Al I find that hilarious... Like the poor guy is genuinely depressed.

But Lilith leaving so her husband could heal and become his old-self but with build-up mature thoughts and responsibilities? Her and Alastor connected with the seven years common number plus the obvious theory that she owns his soul?- So her having Al helping out Charlie but also helping with Lucifer's and Charlie's relationship as much as he(Alastor) doesn't care at all but he can't do anything about it? (He annoyed Lucifer which amused him but probably also because why wouldn't he do that to the king who doesn't know him and his wife that is controlling him?) It just is clear to me that one lover cares and the other one doesn't but !!could in other circumstances!! about their own Hell that they created... (Yes wouldn't all I say mean that if Lilith still do love Lucifer she should be by his side? Well yes but I cannot figure out why she is absent, either trying to find a way to stop the extermination that she technically started since Adam and her somewhat hate each other I suppose but I could have went with that if again I knew why she disappeared...)

(I'll be mad if Lucifer doesn't show up in the last episode while Adam will literally be present they just need to fight each other that'll be super duper cool while we could discover Lucifer' power since he should be the most powerful little man in Hell)

Like that woman is so smart and I'm sure that she planned so much that Lucifer hopefully as the king help out with the extermination...He'll protect his daughter I'm so sure.

(I got heavily lazy and wanted to type more in details but I'm proud so far with this one English is not my first language)

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel lucifer #theory #hazbin hotel theory #lucifer hazbin hotel #lilith hazbin hotel

13 notes · View notes

kimmimaru · 2 years

Text

Hm, I want to do Veld next since people seem to be liking these things, also it’s fun. Veld had marital problems before Kalm was firebombed. Not serious enough for him to want to murder his wife and child, but he worked away from home and it seems to be quite a trek to Kalm and that in itself might cause some tension. Like, wanting your husband to come home and spend more time with his own kid is a perfectly natural thing to want. And I’m not talking divorce worthy tension here, but like maybe his wife would mention him coming home more often enough to make Veld annoyed or something. The whole ‘get the job done no matter what’ spiel came from Vincent in their younger days. No real reason for this, I just like the idea. He picked up Tseng, Reno and Rude at relatively young ages because they had special talents but also because they were alone and fathering instincts kicked in. Veld knows Hojo had a hand in Vincent’s disappearance but can’t prove it. There’s a tension between them whenever they’re forced to interact. Tseng reminds Veld of Vincent. I know this can border on the creepy side but like, there ARE some similarities between Vincent and Tseng and there’s no way Veld wouldn’t have seen it. Even if they are superficial. In canon Veld is described as a hard ass. I like to imagine he’s so strict because he’s terrified of losing more ‘family’ and even more terrified that it ends up being his fault again. Veld is unintentionally partially responsible for fucking Tseng up. Hard to explain what I mean...like, Tseng turns very cold after BC and puts on the mask of villain in front of everyone instead of just Aerith. I think Veld played a small part in this as he himself went cold after being responsible for the death of his wife. And as Tseng’s respected mentor it could be that he emulated that thinking that was a good way to deal with things. Veld and Vincent parted on bad terms before Vincent was sent to Nibelheim. Now this comes from me thinking up ways for Veld and Vincent to break up in my Vin/Veld fics but it works if they were friends too. It adds more guilt on Veld’s part too. After the canon events of all the games/Novels, Veld continues to visit the other Turks and acts as a liaison between the Turks who were supposed to have died in BC and Tseng, Reno and Rude. Veld was friends with Reeve (This is pretty much canon but wanted to put it in anyway). This one (sort of) turns up in one of my fics: Veld has a recording on his phone of his wife’s voice and listens to it almost obsessively after her death. There’s also a photo of his family on his desk that he keeps face-down, he can’t bring himself to put it away but also can’t bring himself to look at it because of the guilt. The Turks ‘adopt’ Felicia and go out of their way to make sure she’s ok and protect her if she needs it after canon events. (this isn’t technically a Veld headcanon, more of a general Turk headcanon but it’s about his daughter) There’s a LOT more I could say here but it’s already quite a lot, Veld is pretty mysterious as far as canon goes so he’s easy to make up stuff about.

13 notes · View notes

myempirepro-blog · 2 years

Text

5 Signs Your Marriage is Over (My Wife Has Been GONE for a Few Months)

We love addressing you directly via the comment area.

So please continue to leave your thoughts and questions for us to review. We do these videos for you.

--> READ THE BLOG POST HERE https://lolaandola.com/signs-your-marriage-is-over/

--> WATCH VIDEO VERSION HERE https://youtu.be/m0RWEUYOEf4

In this video, we are responding to 2 comments with the 5 signs that a marriage is over based on how a man responds to a crisis.

Here is the first comment.

“My wife has been gone for a few months. 10 years together and she’s just pulled the plug on all emotions she had for me. She talks and looks at me differently now. She never sees our one year old son. Wtf has happened. God I miss her 😢” ~ by Slaven Yatic

And here is the 2nd comment.

"Truth is she doesn’t. Folks, separation is not a good thing period. 5% of separation works and they end up back together but 80% of separation ends up in a divorce. If your partner wants a separation it means they have someone else in mind." ~ Comment by Triple A Triple a

So here we go.

Sign Number 5

OLA - You Feel Damages Happen Overnight

Believe it or not; most men that go through this type of trauma always feel that the woman just changed overnight. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Some call it “the walk away wife syndrome.” It’s basically unhappy wives who leave their husbands… emphasis on “UNHAPPY”.

There is not one single event that can destroy your marriage. And if you can’t comprehend that, comprehend this.

Not realizing that damages never happen overnight is a sign that your marriage is over and potentially forever. In fact, your marriage ended a long time ago.

So clearly, it’s even worse that you haven’t been able to pay enough attention to detect this for potentially so long.

She didn’t just pull the plug on emotions she had for you. Rather, she had been disconnected from you emotionally long before you realized.

Maybe she was trying to protect your feelings and then finally realized that it is a non-sustainable effort. Many women try this and it always fails eventually.

Sign Number 4

LOLA - You Use Children to Manipulate

Naturally, a separation from family, wife or husband will create trauma for your children and that’s simply part of life.

But let’s be honest, overreacting to this is obviously an indication that… you have probably overreacted to many other events in the past.

The default is that your children will get dragged through the mud that you and your ex-partner-to-be have created. It’s just the reality.

And if you have a hard time facing reality, it is little-to-no-wonder that you will attempt to use your children’s trauma to manipulate the direction of things. Is that what you mean by “She never sees our one year old son?”

That, precisely, is a sign that your marriage is over. It doesn’t have to be over, if you are willing to indulge in the possibility of a new understanding.

Your focus needs to go into working on the evaporated attraction in your romantic relationship because it is the root cause. It is your only point of leverage and there are any further chances.

Sign Number 3

OLA - You Think Separation is Bad

If you think separation is bad, your marriage is probably over. Saying that is just another manipulative measure to get a person who doesn’t want you to stay with you.

There is no better way to tell me that you are negotiating “desire”. It doesn't work. In fact, it will work against your marriage.

In addition, pushing against separation is not a way to save your marriage. If at least one of the parties is asking for separation, that marriage is over anyway.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t build a new foundation from scratch with or without the same person.

As long as you are obsessed with the idea of sustaining the present terrible state of your marriage, how can you build another foundation?

Remember the emphasis on “happy”? How can you create happiness in a marriage where one person is not happy?

I know what you are thinking. Everyone is responsible for their own happiness? You are half-wrong because how we feel is a function of our environment.

So as long as you are a part of your spouses’ environment, you are a factor. You are part of the variables that determine her emotional state.

But also vice versa.

Do wives ever come back after separation? The answer is “YES”. But how likely is that to happen to you?

Sign Number 2

LOLA - You Project Stats & Data on Relationships

Your marriage is over if you project improperly interpreted stats and data on your relationship as facts. Your wife will not come back after separation.

So even if we have to take “Triple A Triple a”’s comment, which is the fact that only 5% of separation works, I guarantee that your personal case will be in the 80% that end up in divorce if you project the “stat” on your relationship.

It’s simple. In the human experience, what you focus on expands. That principle is undefeated just like the fact that she wants separation.

Data and stat are mostly useful in a class and scholar activities.

If you are personally going through a crisis in your relationship, focus on learning what it takes to create attraction in your particular situation.

You can’t do that trying to smother a person who wants to leave with numbers and stats.

Tip Number 1

OLA - You Believe She Has Someone Else in Mind

In fact, it’s true that many women are right now trying to figure out how to leave their husbands for a different life all together; not just someone else.

She wants to leave. The attempt to make yourself feel better by accusing her of having someone else in mind is just another useless effort to save the marriage.

Let’s be honest. You will only feel worse even if it isn’t true. Also, you are spreading unnecessary toxic energy.

But again, I know what you are thinking.

What if it’s true that she has someone else?

Let me ask you the same question. What if?

Is that a good excuse to drag yourself further through the mud? Is that a reality you can’t deal with without throwing your whole life away?

If the answer is yes, have you considered it… as a good reason to obsessively smother the relationship to death?

We are speaking from experience.

We share our own story inside the book "GET MY MARRIAGE BACK" which you can download for free at www.GetMyMarriageBack.com

Please support this video by hitting the thumbs up and share with us below what you'd like us to cover on the next video.

Check out this episode!

0 notes

littlesmartart · 2 years

Note

Could you just talk a bit about the moms in the modern AU in general? How their stories translate to the modern au, what's different from show canon etc.? This is really just me wanting to know everything. And I love how you can see the relation between the way you draw the kids and their mums and Meng Shi who looks so much like a young single mom who absolutely adores her kid and A-Fus mom who's so young and bright which is sad to see. The way you drew and added all these details is amazing.

so I've already spoken about the Nie Parents here

this got long, so I've put it under a cut

for the modern Lan parents... god, there is no good way to translate this awful story, so buckle up!!! Papa and Mama Lan are at the same bigwig university and dating - Papa Lan is more traditional and very serious about this relationship, but Mama Lan sees it as just a fun fling. there is some sort of incident where Mama Lan kills one of the members of the university faculty in self-defense, but he's very well regarded and the university are closing ranks against her accusations. Papa Lan - in what I have decided is genuine good intention, because the alternative doesn't bear thinking about - suggests that they get married, because his family is powerful and rich and if she has the Lan name, the university won't dare go after her, and, terrified, she agrees. the collective Lan family are FURIOUS at this move, and even more furious when they find out that Mama Lan is pregnant. the Lan family lawyers do protect Mama Lan from both the university and the law, and she doesn't go to jail - but the family agree that she is too much of a liability, and likely to cause another scandal, so they get her committed to a mental institution (it's depressingly easy). Mama Lan being committed devastates Papa Lan significantly enough that he is unable to care for baby Xichen, so Qiren, who is also studying at the same university, moves in to help. at first, Papa Lan is determined to get her out, campaigning for her and visiting her very regularly with Xichen, and several years later Wangji is born. but it's not long after that that Papa Lan begins to spiral, convinced that marrying Mama Lan made everything worse and this is all his fault, and he refuses to see her again "for her own good". Qiren still brings the boys to visit, and Mama Lan absolutely adores them with all of her heart, but knowing there is no one fighting for her release and that her husband has given up on her breaks her spirit, and she takes her own life. Papa Lan is inconsolable, and takes his own life shortly after. on the same day that he finishes his doctorate, Qiren legally adopts his nephews.

Meng Shi's story is also pretty shitty!! she's a new college student when she meets Jin Guangshan whilst he's on holiday - she knows he's older and married, though he waxes poetic about how his marriage is loveless and he's desperate, just desperate to leave his wife, but his family are so traditional and they won't let him break a match they made. she's young and naive, and she falls head over heels. when he leaves, he promises he'll come back for her as soon as he's able to divorce his wife. shortly after that, she realises she's pregnant - her family disown her when she refuses to get rid of the baby, but she keeps hope and is genuinely excited about the idea of raising this child created in love with JGS. she has to drop out of her college course so she can work full-time to support herself and Meng Yao, and ultimately winds up going into sex work to keep them afloat, but she always, always keeps a brave and hopeful face for her YaoYao, raises him the best she can, and promises him that one day his father will come back and whisk them away. obviously, JGS never comes back, and Meng Shi winds up dying when Meng Yao is still quite young. he bounces around the foster system for years until, when he is a teenager, the authorities finally get hold of JGS and force him to take some kind of responsibility - his wife refuses to have Meng Yao in the house (Meng Yao clings to what his mother told him his whole life: it is this terrible loveless marriage that his stopping his happy ending, and his father really does secretly care about him) so JGS just sends him money until he turns eighteen.

A-Fu's mum's story is... marginally less awful than the others, but still sad. she's born to hardworking and busy parents, who do their best to take care of her but never really bond with her - her closest parental relationship is with her grandmother, who is loving and wonderful. her mother dies when she's still a child, and when her father suggests that she live with her grandmother full-time, she eagerly agrees. she grows up mostly happy and well-adjusted, and she's very academically succesful. towards the end of her time at university, her grandmother dies; it's not a huge shock, but it is a painful blow, and she becomes a little more reckless in her drinking and socialising to try and find that emotional connection she feels like she's lost. not long after graduating, she discovers she's pregnant and she isn't certain who the father is - she decides to keep the baby regardless, hopeful about her future now, and moves to a big city on the other side of the country for better job prospects. that city has another branch of the Lan family, very powerful and very rich, and when she calls up her something-something-removed cousin Xichen he's more than happy to give her a hand to get her all the help she needs settling in there. her pregancy goes smoothly, but, sadly, there's a complication during the birth that kills her only a few days after A-Fu is born. the hospital manage to get in contact with Xichen... and the rest is history.

#wow this got long lmao #ask #anonymous #tumodernau

110 notes · View notes

codenamesazanka · 2 years

Text

The public backlash to Toga and her family reminds me of this Japanese movie I saw years ago regarding the the toll the aftermath of a crime takes on the perpetrators’ family. It was a random movie I watched on an airplane flight, but was impactful enough that I could remember to this day. Recently I found the movie again and rewatched it: Nobody to Watch Over Me.

A 15-year-old middle school girl is picked up at school by the police when her elder 18-year-old brother is arrested on suspicion of randomly murdering two grade school girls. She is put under the protection of a dedicated yet conflicted police detective who has orders to shield the girl from the inevitable public outrage that is to follow. Through these two protagonists’ eyes, we get a glimpse into the vulnerability, the isolation and even the resilience of the individual when up against a volatile and often intolerant world.

It’s not based on a specific true story, but from what I’ve researched on it, it does draw its elements from real life. Which is why most haunting is this message shown right at the start of the movie, first thing a viewer sees:

In the event a minor commits a serious criminal offense, police authorities may seek to shield the minor's family from excessive media scrutiny and public hostility. This protection is given to prevent members of the accused's family from taking their own lives in response to the trauma. Such suicides have occurred in the past. Authorities have not admitted to this practice.

Collective responsibility is a very prominent idea. Whether that has merit or not, stigma of being the family of a perpetrator is apparently just really bad. Enough that in the movie, the family is advised to immediately change names for their protection.

“You’ll be viewed as the “killer’s family” wherever you go. we advise a divorce now to return your wife to her maiden name.” Due to Japan’s registry system, the easiest way to do this is a divorce, so papers are immediately drawn up. “Divorce is finalized. now for the new marriage registration. we’ll now enter the husband’s name on the wife’s family register.” Thus, the whole family then has a different surname - except for the son, who will remain on the old register.

Things might have been dramatized for the movie, but the stigma is very real and will deeply affect lives. For an example case, the 2008 Akihabara massacre murderer’s family broke apart in the years following their son’s arrest: the father has quit his job and retreated to isolation, with a news article opining that “Secluded in his house, severing all ties with the outside world -- it may be the only atonement available to this father,”; the mother “was admitted to a local hospital due to mental stress. Her health has failed and she is wheelchair bound,”; and the younger son committed suicide in 2014, explicitly stating it was because he could no longer bear to live as the brother of a murderer.

In general for these families associated with a perpetrator, a survey revealed that nearly 40% had to get divorce, quit jobs, or move. People get doxxed and harassed; in more extreme cases, family members commit suicide, and sometimes pregnant partners of perpetrator even get abortions due to fearing a life where the child is discriminated as a ‘criminal’s child’, as well as financial difficulties.

So I feel like when HeroAca show things like Gentle or Toga’s house being vandalized, it draws inspiration from irl, and might not be that exaggerated. And that’s pretty scary.

*obviously there’s stuff to say about attention and support which should instead focus on the victims and their families rather than the perpetrator and their families. It’s also undeniable that blaming and mercilessly condemning of families of criminals probably isn’t the best type of treatment they deserve to get from larger society.

**…Though in this case, yeah, Toga’s parents clearly contributed to how she grew up and end up stabbing a boy, so they are to be blamed. There’s no justification for them just abandoning their daughter ever, yet it’s not hard to see why they cut off all ties trying to save their own skin. Still, if that’s how the family is treated, one can only imagine how much more intense the hatred would be directed at Toga herself, and just how little support and forgiveness is given to Villains. Throughout all this, Toga is a minor, a kid still growing up, btw.

#Toga Himiko #bnha #mha #HeroAca #real life parallels #not that i think horikoshi-sensei is a super progressive person or whatever #but sometimes it’s things like this that makes me wonder if he’s on the… less conservative side of things in quite-conservative Japan #though i guess authors don’t necessarily 100% believe in the ideas conveyed in their work so there’s that #nalslastworkingbraincell

87 notes · View notes

mrs-gucci · 3 years

Text

Casting Couch {Charlie Barber x Reader}

author’s notes: hello, hello! I was driving home from work the other day and this idea just suddenly took over my entire thought process. so, naturally, I went ahead and wrote it up :)

warnings (what you see here is what you’ll get!): smut. the enemy of my enemy is my ally (with benefits). p in v sex. protected sex. rough oral sex. cum- swallowing.

(possible) tw’s: semi-public sex.

word count: 3.2k

charlie’s taglist peeps! {charlie currently doesn’t have any taglist peeps} my general taglist peeps! @frank-and-honey @shygirl268 @icarusinthesea @gildedstarlight @mrs-zimmerman @soldmysoulagain @roseepossee @pascalisfairyy @I-can’t-draw-faces @ahsoka1 @babbushka @safarigirlsp (if you’d like to be added to or removed from any of my taglists, the link to the google form is HERE or on the top of my masterlist)

Two Years Ago.

“Y/N...she fucking did it again.” Nicole says as she barges through the door of hers and Charlie’s shared brownstone. “She got the fucking TV gig.”

Charlie’s eyebrows furrow a bit before looking up at his wife with an empathetic expression, setting the notebook and pen he’d been using down on the coffee table.

“Bummer. I really thought you had it in the bag.” He says, elbows on his thighs as he leans forward a bit, folding his hands. “There will be other roles; I wouldn’t worry too much. You win some, you lose some; that’s how it goes in this industry. You’ve taken plenty of roles from her.”

She sighs, nodding. “Yeah, I know, but this one I was excited about. And I really thought I had it, too. It just stung a little extra, you know?”

Her husband nods, patting the seat next to him on the couch. “C’mere, sit with me. We’ll have a glass of wine.”

Nicole gives somewhat of a dreadful grimace, a clear sign she really wasn’t interested. Charlie’s been noticing this for the past few months, her disinterest in being with him as much as she usually was, but he figured it was just her being tired. She’s been doing a lot of odd jobs to make some ends meet lately, so it’s probably a result of that.

“Are you sure?” He asks, a twang of longing sadness in his voice.

She nods. “Yeah, I’m just gonna go lay down for a bit.”

Charlie just nods, picking back up his notebook and pen, continuing to review and add to his notes from the day.

“Let me know if you need anything.” He calls after her. “I love you.”

She only offers him a small smile over her shoulder in return before emerging into their bedroom, closing the door immediately behind her.

Present Day.

It feels strange, holding auditions for a female lead. He hasn’t had to do so in almost a decade; just yet another reminder of how much of his life has changed just in the past year.

The divorce had been painful, stressful, and he was honestly more relieved than anything when it finally came to a close, despite it not really turning out the way he’d hoped for in terms of custody over Henry.

Luckily, he’s dove deeper into his one true love, directing, as a way to cope with the loss of everything he’d worked so hard to build for himself; the marriage, the 'American dream’ family and home he wished he’d had growing up.

Now, after six months of weekly therapy appointments and keeping himself busy with work, he’s feeling more like the old Charlie he was back before everything went to shit. Actually, he’s feeling like an even better version of that Charlie, the best version of himself there’s been in a while, perhaps even before he met and married Nicole.

The first audition comes onstage and Charlie can’t decide what’s worse, her off-pitch singing or her monotonous speaking voice.

God, this was going to be a long fucking day.

You’d heard through the grapevine that the famed Broadway director had moved here to LA, and that he’d divorced his witch of a wife, Nicole.

Nicole Barber had been your biggest rival ever since you swiped that first movie role away from her. She hates you, and you don’t particularly like her, either, thus your rivalry began. And it was pretty heated, too; the two of you were always trying to one-up each other.

It really was a back-and-forth battle, her swiping roles from you, you returning the favor; it was a game, to put it simply. Although lately, you’ve been getting more roles than she has, not that you’re complaining, and there’s a part of you that hopes she quits the business for good.

Word got around that Charlie is heading his first LA Broadway production and what better way to hit Nicole close to home than to show up at her ex-husband’s auditions? Even better, what if you got the female lead in her ex-husband’s production? Oh god, that would be fantastic, not only for the rivalry but also for your career.

You’ve been looking to branch out into more theater roles, and this is as good an opportunity as to dip your toe in the theater world water. Plus, you’re not necessarily complaining about having the chance to look at and work with Charlie Barber every day...

So you prepared your piece of dialogue and a section of one of the choice songs, heading over to the theater fifteen minutes before your set audition time. Your knee bounces as you sit in the waiting area, eyes running over your script and lyrics sheet one final time, solidifying it all in your memory.

Your name is called a few minutes later and you head out onto the stage, handing over your headshot and qualifications resume. The agent hands over your profile to the handsome director, but he doesn’t even really look at it, already knowing exactly who you are. A small smirk grazes his lips as he flips to a new page of his notebook, clicking the top of his pen.

“Whenever you’re ready, Miss Y/N.”

After you’re finished, Charlie scribbles one final thing in his notebook before looking up at you. His eyes trail over your figure for a moment, another smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Would you be comfortable coming back for a more intimate audition later this week? Maybe, Friday at four? I would like to get to know you better, see if you meet all of my... qualifications.”

The look in his eye tells you all you need to know about the true motivations behind his question. You nod, biting your lip.

“It’d be my absolute pleasure, Mr. Barber.” You purr.

He shifts in his seat suddenly and quickly crosses one leg over the other before opening up your folder, handing the top sheet to his assistant.

“Diane, go ahead and have Miss Y/N put down all of her contact information.” His gaze never leave you as he speaks to the timid-seeming young woman. “Make sure she gives her personal cell number.”

You pull a pen from your bag on the stage, clicking it open before Diane hands you the paper. As you write every means of contact you can think of, starting with your cell number, you playfully bite the end of the pen and tap it against your bottom lip, something that certainly keeps the already attentive director’s full attention.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Barber.” Your tone is innocent-sounding, but your gaze is anything but. It sends a chill down Charlie’s spine. “I promise I won’t disappoint.”

“Oh, I’m sure you won’t.” A small tug at one corner of his lip accompanies his response. “See you soon, Miss Y/N.”

You offer him a nod.

“Looking forward to it.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In preparation for your upcoming...meeting with Charlie, you take a quick trip to the nearest intimates store, picking up a pretty little lace bra and panty set. Your lingerie wardrobe is long overdue for a bit of sprucing up, anyway.

When the time comes, you slip the fresh lace garments on before putting on your planned outfit, a cute-but-subtly-sexy low cut romper. You put on a light face of makeup, purely for professionalism’s sake, then head out with a small bag which contains various personal items as well as your script and composition page.

He’s not in his backstage office when you arrive, but he comes in a couple minutes later, a strong stench of cigarette smoke trailing behind him as he walks by your chair.

“I apologize for the delay. You weren’t waiting long, were you?”

You shake your head as he takes a seat behind the ratty oak desk, shifting a few small stacks of papers around on the heavily scratched surface.

“No, no I wasn’t waiting long.”

He nods, then folds his hands atop the desk, eyes flickering up to meet yours. For a moment, his eyes dart down to where your cleavage creeps out of your low-cut top.

“You’ve got the part.” Charlie says with a small smile. “You’re by far the best and most qualified audition we had yesterday, and I like the way you carry yourself. You’re exactly the type of person I like working with. Part’s yours if you want it.”

You’re overcome with joy, a wide smile spreading itself across your lips. “I’d love to be a part of this production, Mr. Barber. I’m really excited to get to work with you and the rest of the crew.”

“That’s great, I’m glad to hear it.” He nods, smile widening when as he processes your acceptance. His delighted expression falls after a few moments, replaced by one much more salacious.

“Now that we’ve gotten that part out of the way...I think you know why I called a meeting of such, uh, privacy.”

You smirk softly, shifting around in your seat slightly. “I believe I do.”

His feet plant on the ground as he pushes the rolling office chair out from under the desk, standing up and walking around the desk to tower over you.

“Before anything happens, though, I want you to know that whether or not you do this with me will not affect my casting decision. Even if you decline, you still have the part.”

You nod before standing, quickly and swiftly, stepping forward to press yourself flush against him.

“Charlie?”

“Yeah?”

Your hands rest on his chest, neck craning slightly to look up at him. “Just kiss me, will you?”

He laughs, massive hand moving to cradle the back of your head before he bends down and connects your lips in a passionate kiss. There’s nothing tender or gentle about this embrace, it’s all tongue and teeth, raw lust coursing between your two bodies.

“Couch.” His voice is soft but husky.

“Unzip me first?” You ask, turning around so he can unzip you. He does, then his hands slide down to your hips and pushes you towards the leather couch tucked in the corner of his office.

The material squeaks when you’re laid down on top of it, head resting comfortably on the cushy fabric accent pillow as he climbs on top of you. He presses his hips forward while he tucks his face into the crook of your neck and plants kisses on the skin there.

Your eyes widen as his impressive bulge rubs up against your inner thigh and you quickly wonder how in the world you’ll be able to take him. His crooked teeth scrape over the taut muscles in your neck while his hands pull the backs of your romper down over your shoulders.

His hands grab and grope your breasts beneath where they rest in your nice bra, one you wore just for him, and your back arches slightly up off the cushions with a soft sigh.

A small smile crosses his expression, teeth sinking gently into your neck. “I like the little noises you make for me, Y/N.”

“Yeah?” You smirk, running your hands through his hair. “Then I bet you’ll like my moans, too. If you think you can draw them out of me, that is.”

He laughs softly, sucking and licking at at the place his teeth have just abused. “Is that a challenge?”

“Well, it’s more like an invitation to prove yourself, but ‘challenge’ is also a good word for it.”

Charlie pulls away with a smirk, shaking his head as he sits back on his haunches and begins to unbuckle his belt.

“Brat.”

Once he’s undone his pants and pulled them down enough to expose himself to you, he leans down once more and pulls your romper the rest of the way off, leaving you completely bare, minus your undergarments. His eyes roam your figure for a moment before he dips a hand beneath the patch of black fabric nestled between your thighs.

Your breath hitches as his fingertips swipe over your erect clit, giving it a few little circles before yanking the panties off your hips and down your ankles, tossing them down alongside your previously-discarded romper.

His eyes widen in realization, cheeks flushing pink.

“Do you have any, um, protection?”

You smirk, nodding as you sit up and pat his chest. “Indeed, I do.”

He crawls off of you and you walk over to your purse, grabbing a condom from the mini-stash you keep in your wallet, the one you replenished just minutes before you left the house this afternoon. He takes it from you and pinches the tip, rolling it down his shaft. For a moment, you’re worried that it isn’t going to fit, but he rolls it on with little issue.

His hips press forward, then, entering you slowly but steadily with a soft grunt. You whine as your insides stretch out around him, hands reaching up to tangle in his hair. “S-Shit.”

“You’re really fucking tight, jesus.” He growls between gritted teeth, jaw screwed shut as his hips begin to move. “I haven’t fffucked anyone in a while, Y/N, so I can’t guarantee that I’ll last very long.”

You nod, softly. “It’s alright, Charlie; it’s been a little while for muh--me, too.”

Your eyes flutter shut and your face begins to scrunch up with each time his fat cockhead brushes up against your cervix. His pace increases after a minute or so, a consistent slap-slap-slap noise now echoing off the drywall with each snap of his hips.

“You’ve got a nice little pussy, you know that? Always knew you would be, too, knew you’d be a good little cccocksleeve.”

You moan shakily as he adjusts his position, towering over you and pinning your wrists above your head with one of his large hands. Your body begins to bounce, tits, thighs and tummy jiggling each time he thrusts in.

He’s starting to sweat, a few dark hairs sticking to his dimly-glowing forehead, more and more accumulating there as his hair rocks back and forth in time with the rhythm of his hips.

“Touch yourself, now, rrrub your little clit.” His voice is getting shaky as he draws nearer to climax.

Nodding, your hand slides down between your joined bodies until your fingertips settle onto the small bundle of nerves. The hand that’s still weaved in Charlie’s locks clenches and he lets out a sudden deep growl, hips stuttering for a moment.

“Ooooh, Charlie.” You moan, hips lifting and gyrating against both his cock and your fingers.

“God, fffuck I love this cunt.” A vulgar squelching sound knits itself within the quilt of your salacious symphony. “Wrapped around my cock like a vice, gonna pull the fucking cum right out of it. Swear you get tighter each time I push back in...christ, I’m not gonna last.”

Your fingers circle your clit faster, setting a desperate pace, one that almost matches his quick and sloppy thrusts. You’re close now, too, and it doesn’t take much longer for your orgasm to hit.

You cream around him with a long moan and a string of various other noises, with a few profanities thrown in as well. The product of your release coats his shaft in a pearlescent sheen, dripping down his ball-sack soon enough.

The sensations your climax creates around Charlie forces him to pull away almost immediately after, quickly yanking the condom off and onto his office floor, squeezing the base of his flaming red length.

His hand seizes your jaw tightly, thumb pressing down on your tongue, prying your mouth open. “I’m gonna fuck your mouth and shove my cum down your throat, and you’re gonna take it all, isn’t that right?”

You’re nodding instantly, slacking your jaw to open even further in preparation for his upcoming intrusion. He smirks.

“Good. Now, on your knees.”

He sits down where you once laid, lazily pumping his throbbing length as you get into position between his spread legs. He pulls your hair up into a makeshift ponytail with his hand, then lines you up with his cock and eases your mouth down onto him.

“Thaaaaaat’s it, oh, gooooood girl.”

You start gagging about three quarters of the way down his shaft, but he still keeps pushing until you’ve got the whole thing in your mouth. Your jaw’s already getting sore as he begins thrusting upwards, fucking your mouth.

Tears swell in your eyes and begin to spill down your cheeks the more he goes, mascara surely ruined and running down your face. The sight only arouses him further, a low groan rumbling through his puffed chest.

He’s trying so hard to keep himself together, to stave off his orgasm for as long as he can manage, but soon he finds it next to impossible to hold back. His bottom lip quivers ever so slightly as his length begins to twitch, balls drawing up.

“Fuck, I’m gonna--”

You taste and feel the salty ropes shooting down your throat before he can even finish his warning.

“Ah, fffuuuuck.” His head falls back against the couch cushions, hips bucking gently as each bit of release is spilled into your mouth. His grip on your head relaxes after he’s finished, cock softening while he catches his breath and re-grounds himself in reality.

Your chest heaves as full airflow returns to your lungs, knees and jaw aching a bit sore from their exertion. You grab your underwear from where they lay discarded on top of your romper, putting them back on before standing up on somewhat shaky legs.

Charlie also redresses, standing and straightening himself out as you do the same.

“Mind zipping me back up?” You ask, turning around again.

He pulls the zipper up your back until it’s at the end of its tracks, then steps up behind you, placing a soft kiss to your shoulder blade.

“Thank you.”

A soft smile grazes your lips. “No ‘thanks’ needed; the sweet taste of revenge and spite is payment enough.”

He laughs quietly.

“Well, I’ll certainly be available, should you ever need a little replenishing of those feelings.”

“Mr. Barber, you wouldn’t be saying that because you’d like to see me naked again, now would you?” Your eyebrows raise and you look over your shoulder, a playful smile on your face.

He laughs again, blushing a bit. “Uh, yeah, sure, I'd like that a lot. But I’d also like to see you, um...not naked, fully clothed, maybe at a restaurant in the city for dinner sometime? I totally get it if you’re not interested, it’s not a big deal if you don’t want to...”

Holy shit, he’s asking you out on a date. Well, he’s trying to, at least.

You laugh, cheeks warming at his proposition.

“Sure thing. I just accepted this new job, though, so I’ll have to get back to you about my availability...”

Charlie smiles, shoving his hands down in his khaki pockets. “I’m sure your new boss would be more than willing to accommodate. He’s a pretty cool guy, or so I’ve heard. Handsome, too.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like you have a reliable informant.” You turn around as you laugh softly, grabbing your bag off the chair before stepping up in front of him. Your lips plant a quick peck on his, hands resting on his broad chest. “See you soon.”

He nods, biting his lip to hold back his big, goofy smile.

“Can’t wait.”

240 notes · View notes

flying-elliska · 2 years

Text

Some general speculation Stede's arc and where they could go in s2 (and hopefully beyond)

I can't find the post about how Ed is battling toxic masculinity and Stede is struggling with heteronormativity but that is on point. And at the end of s1 they both pitched back into it, Stede bc of fear/guilt and Ed bc of heartbreak.

The big difference is that Stede managed to deal a big blow to the idea that the only good/moral/happy (etc) life for him is being a wealthy landowner with an assigned wife and 2.5 children, by realizing he has made a mistake and that he loves Ed, and definitely leaving that cushy but soul destroying life behind.

I love that Mary was instrumental in that process, by telling him about love but also in general daring to stake her claim to happiness - by painting, finding a community of cool widows, a lover that satisfies her and treats her well, etc. And she was ready to kill Stede to protect that happiness, which in a show full of death and violence, appears kind of fucked up but also fierce and understandable, especially to Stede (who became a pirate, so like...) - who realizes how deeply unsuited they were to each other and the life they had and how escaping it really is so important. (Also love that this is how Stede seems to gain the respect of his children. Divorce is better for the kids than staying and making everyone miserable.)

So what next for him then ? I think one of the less flattering aspects of his character is his tendency not to consider the impact of his actions on other people. And like it's understandable - being a responsible father and husband was killing him, so in this case irresponsability was kind of life saving. But him leaving Edward without a word was a real dick move. Again, very well motivated by the writing, his issues with guilt are a constant through the season. But still. Now that he's learned that actually the most moral thing to do is not pretend to be normal, but to fight for your happiness and also be honest with people who are important to you - he's going to want to make things better with Edward. And probably run into a wall made by the consequences of his callousness. So I think his arc is in a way about learning that you can take responsibility for things without compromising on your authenticity. It was easier to mend fences with Mary because all he had to do was be honest and then leave. But here for Ed he's going to have to actually stay, face the fact he hurt him without freaking out and finding credible ways to commit, stand up for his love. And also show Ed he loves him for him and not because he's the scary cool pirate legend Blackbeard. (And vice versa now that Stede has lost all his comforts and finery.) And all this is also why i want to see him bond further with the crew as well.

and I think it could be a really cool development for his character.

#ofmd #stede bonnet #gentlebeard #blackbonnet

23 notes · View notes

fandom-imagines-stories · 3 years

Text

Run to You Part Two

Derek Morgan x Reader

Words: 2494

Part One

Summary: Having been dating for a while, you finally feel comfortable enough to introduce your boyfriend to your daughter, Angelica. Derek takes on the role better than you could have imagined and you start to feel like a family. Then one day, Angelica disappears from a friend’s house and your ex husband starts making demands.

Notes: Thank you all for the support you’ve shown for this series so far! Funnily enough, this three parter is actually similar to a Fox Mulder x Reader series I started a couple of months ago that may or may not see the light of day. I guess if you guys really like this plot and if you like The X Files, let me know if you’d be interested in that.

Warnings: Mentions of domestic abuse, stalking, kidnapping.

More Criminal Minds: HERE

Derek made a half-hour drive take twenty minutes and pulled up to the front of the school. Local police had already been called in and were bombarding you with questions. He broke through the wall of officers to get to you.

“Oh thank god,” You exclaimed and he took you in his arms without a second hesitation. “She’s gone.” You sobbed into his chest. “He took her. I know he did.”

“Ma’am, I need you to calm down and tell us who you think took your daughter.” A female officer said calmly, taking another step towards you.

“Stop crowding her. Everybody back up!” Derek ordered.

“I’m sorry, sir, who are you?” Another officer asked, sounding defensive. Derek pulled out his badge.

“SSA Derek Morgan. I’m from the Behavioral Analysis Unit.”

“It’s a little early to call you guys in, isn’t it?” The first officer said.

“I’m not here officially. I know the missing girl.”

“Then we’re going to need to ask you a few questions.” The defensive officer snapped. You pushed in between them.

“I know who took her. Please, we have to find my baby.”

“Y/N, just take a deep breath, okay.” Derek put a hand on your shoulder and waited for you to calm down a little. “Now, what do you mean you know who took Angelica?” You tried to keep a sob from escaping, but the tears fell freely.

“Her father.” You watched Derek’s face morph with confusion. “My ex-husband.”

You sat in the police station with Derek’s hand running up and down your back as you slowly sipped a glass of water. You hardly remembered getting there or seeing members of Derek’s team arrive. Since there was already a leading suspect, the BAU wouldn’t be called in, but Agent Hotchner and Agent Prentiss came anyway to help Derek consult with the police.

“Ma’am, my name is Gina. I’m going to need to ask you a couple of questions, okay?” The officer from earlier started. You nodded, drinking the rest of your water.

“Um, Derek, maybe you should go talk to Agent Hotchner and Agent Prentiss. Ask them what they need to know from me.” You suggested. You didn’t want to have to explain everything to him like it was an interrogation. Derek nodded in understanding and gently kissed the side of your head.

“Let me know if you need anything.” He gave Gina a thankful smile and joined Hotch.

“The police said they don’t have any problems with us being here as long as we stay out of their way.” Hotch informed, casting a sympathetic look in your direction. “How is she?”

“Her little girl is missing, Hotch. She’s doing about as well as you’d expect.” Morgan sighed.

“What do we know about the suspect? She seems pretty certain that her ex is the one that took her daughter.” Prentiss asked.

“Just his name and that they used to be married. I’m gonna call and see what Garcia can dig up.” He pulled out his cell and kept his eyes on you as you spoke to the officer.

“All-knowing goddess, what can I do for you?” Penelope answered cheerfully.

“I need your help, babygirl.” He said seriously. “Y/N’s little girl is missing.”

“Oh god.” She gasped. With still so many more questions, she readied her fingers over her keyboard. “What do you need?”

“Lance Booker. Anything and everything you can find on him: properties, businesses, residences, especially places in the last six years.” He heard a flurry of typing before she answered.

“Got it. I’ll send you the list forthwith.” There was a long pause, followed by a sad gasp.

“What is it, Garcia?”

“Lance Booker’s ex-wife, Y/N… your Y/N? Ugh, I hate my job sometimes.”

“Penelope!” He shouted into the receiver, his sudden outburst making Prentiss jump.

“Sorry, sorry.” Penelope fretted. “At the time of their divorce six years ago and Y/N receiving full custody of their daughter, Y/N filed a restraining order against Booker with claims of domestic violence. She’s filed multiple reports of stalking since then, but without breaking any of the terms of the restraining order, the police haven’t been able to hold him for anything.” Derek’s hand tightened around the device to the point where he heard the shell crack.

“Thanks Garcia.”

“You’re going to find her, Derek.” Penelope assured him quietly. He took a deep breath.

“I’ll keep you updated. Keep looking into this guy and anyone else who might have taken Angelica.” He snapped his phone shut and pressed it against his forehead, trying to calm himself down. He needed to be the one who held it together. He couldn’t let you see any anger or panic in him because it would just make you angry and panicked even more.

It seemed like you were finishing up with the officer so he started back in your direction. Seeing him, you stood. Judging from his expression, he knew.

“Derek, I can explain.” You wanted to reach out to him, but you kept your arms tightly wrapped around yourself as if it kept you from falling to pieces. “I wanted to tell you.” You wiped a stray tear from your cheek. “I wanted to tell you about all of it. About Lance a-and our marriage and everything that happened, but I just didn’t know how.” His eyes softened and he ran his hands down your tense arms.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, baby.” While there were so many questions in his mind, none of them mattered. All that mattered was that you were here with him and Angelica was out there somewhere with that man.

The group fell silent as your phone started to ring. With a shaking hand, you looked down at the unfamiliar number, glancing back up at Derek for instructions. He nodded slowly while Prentiss called Garcia to get a trace on the number. You took a deep breath and answered.

“Hey baby.” The voice on the other end sent a tremor up your spine. You kept your eyes locked on Derek’s to keep from hanging up right there.

“Lance, where’s Angelica?” You tried to sound calm but you wanted to rip the bastard apart.

“You know, she doesn’t even remember me?” He hissed. “When I picked her up from school, she had no idea who I was. But I guess that’s what happens when you decide to replace me for six years.”

“Lance, please. I need to know that she’s okay.”

“Of course she’s okay. She’s got Agent Morgan protecting her, right? Oh wait, he failed at that too.” He barked furiously. Your body tensed up even more.

“How do you know about Derek?” You asked slowly. Derek’s expression didn’t change, but he felt a shot of guilt go through him. He was the trigger.

“I have ways of knowing.”

“He wants you to change the subject. Keep talking about Angelica.” Agent Hotchner instructed, keeping his voice low so the other end wouldn’t hear. You nodded in understanding.

“Lance, I need to know that Angelica is okay. I need to hear her voice.” You kept your voice as level as possible. There was a shuffle on the other end and you nearly broke down when you heard Angelica’s confused voice.

“Mommy? W-where are you? I wanna go home.”

“I’m coming, baby. Everything is going to be okay.” You cried, hearing the sound of the phone switching back.

“We’re going to be a family again.” Lance growled. “I’ll call again soon.” The line went quiet and you finally stopped holding your breath, leaning against the desk. You let the phone slip out of your hand and fall to the floor.

“Did we get a trace?” Morgan called to the agents behind him, keeping his eyes glued on you. Hotch sighed.

“Garcia said there was something interfering with the signal.”

“Lance was a phone technician, he knows how to hide.” You said blankly. “He won’t let us find him until he wants us too.”

The agents and officers around you were in a frenzy trying to dig up all of the information they could possibly find on Lance. Every time they said his name, you felt the back of his hand or the heel of his boot. For six years, you had been free of him. Angelica had been free of him. How dare he come back and ruin what you had built all on your own?

Something inside of you switched. You weren’t just frightened anymore. You were pissed off.

You didn’t move. You didn’t eat the food Derek had put in front of you. You didn’t drink the water he’d brought either. All you could do was stare at the phone, leg bouncing up and down anxiously. You hadn’t wanted to go home, but both the police and Agent Hotchner thought it would be a good idea in case Lance tried to contact you there. A team was setting up a device to hook your phone up to so they could control the line. All you could do was watch from the kitchen table, hands clasped in front of you like you were praying.

Derek watched you from the living room as his team set up the phone. He sat down on the couch, running a hand down his face. He should have asked you about Lance sooner. Maybe he could have prevented this if he only knew what had happened.

“We’re going to find her, Derek.” Prentiss said, sitting down next to him. She’d watched the way that this was tearing him apart. He didn’t respond. Both watched as the youngest of their team approached your table.

“Miss Y/L/N?” You looked up, finding the agent you could only assume was Dr. Reid. No one else was that young.

“Yes?”

“I, um, I’m Dr. Spencer Reid. I work with Morgan- I mean, Derek.” He asked to sit down and you just nodded in response. “I would like to talk to you about your ex-husband, if that’s okay?”

“I don’t know what else I can tell you.” You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Lance was… mean. He was controlling and when he didn’t get what he wanted, he got violent. But he never hurt Angelica. Ever.” You stared at the table’s wooden surface. “I was always there to protect her.” You felt a tear slip down your cheek. Reid’s lips formed a thin line.

“What was he like before? When you first met him or when you first got married?”

“Well he wasn’t the monster he is now, I can tell you that.” You sneered. “When I met him, he was sweet. Sure, he was mysterious and attractive, so I did whatever he said, but he was romantic and- and different from the other guys I’d dated. When we got married, I thought ‘this is it’, you know? Standing in that little church, everything felt exactly like it was supposed to. But after Angelica was born, everything changed. It was like he’d been hiding this creature under his skin all those years and it was finally emerging.”

“Do you remember anything specific that might have triggered this change?”

You shook your head. “I just remember the first time it happened. There weren’t any warning signs or anything. He hadn’t been irritable or upset. He just… snapped. Angelica was in her high chair and she had thrown her bowl of food on the floor. He must have heard the sound and he came into the kitchen. When I knelt down to clean it, he grabbed my hair and pulled me up, screaming about how it was my fault. How I made a mess and that he was going to show me what happens to people who mess up his life. And then he hit me. He hit me over and over and left me on the floor to clean. I should’ve- I should have left him right there. I should have taken her and run, but I didn’t. In my head, it wasn’t his fault. It was because of his past, it was because of me. I should have run. I should have left. I should-”

“Miss Y/L/N.” Reid interrupted, allowing you to gasp for air. You must have forgotten to breathe. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he was stopped by the shrill, dooming sound of the phone.

You bolted from the table and joined the agents in the living room, waiting for the signal to answer.

“Okay, you remember how it works?” Derek asked. You nodded. “Alright. Keep him talking. Don’t let him go off the subject of Angelica. You just want your daughter back. You don’t want to hurt him.” He pointed at the device and you picked up the receiver with a shaking hand.

“Hello?”

“Tell Agent Morgan he can’t replace me.”

“Lance, I’m tired. I just want Angelica back safe.”

“No, you want to play happy family with your BAU boyfriend. He isn’t her father. I am!” He spoke with the fury of a madman. Derek looked at the rest of the team grimly. Lance was spiralling.

“What do you want me to do, Lance? I’ll do anything to get her back, just please, I miss my daughter.” You cried. Derek pressed the button and muted the call.

“Y/N, you have to keep calm. I know it’s hard, but Lance is trying to push you. He wants you to break, but you can’t.” He took your hand, softening his tone. “I’m right here. You can do this.” Under Derek’s comforting voice, you could hear Lance start to ramble.

“I just want us to be happy again. Do you remember when we were happy?” You waited for Derek to press the button again before responding.

“Y-yeah, I remember.”

“We can be happy again. We can be happy again…” His voice trailed off and you heard a shuffling sound.

“Wait, don’t hang-” You exclaimed, but the line went dead. You slammed the receiver back down and kicked the coffee table it sat on. “He’s going to kill her. He’s going to kill her.” You pushed a lamp over and listened to the bulb shatter against the carpet. Before you could break anything else, or hurt yourself, Derek locked his arms around you, pinning yours to your side. “Let me go! He’s going to kill her! It’s my fault! It’s all my fault!”

He kept a hold of you as you screamed, sitting down on the couch with you on his lap. The other agents just stood, watching the scene of turmoil. Reid was standing completely skill, eyes darting in between invisible words in his head. He suddenly looked at Prentiss.

“Get Garcia on the phone.” He said, turning back to you and Morgan.

“What did you get?” Prentiss asked. She was still trying to decipher everything that Booker said. Reid swallowed.

“I think I know where he might be keeping Angelica.”

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination; @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks

Series: @ weasleytommy, @ lowsodiumfreaks67, @panhoeofmanyfandoms

#derek morgan x reader #shemar moore #criminal minds #criminal minds imag #spencer reid #emily prentiss #derek morgan #badass #domestic violence #kidnapping

268 notes · View notes

paperbodiesamongthestars · 3 years

Text

Day 22: Yellow

John Harrington stood in the foyer of his house in Loch Nora, brow furrowed. It was the first time in his life that he had come home to find the house looking so...occupied. And sure, he and Irene hadn’t mentioned that they were coming back to Hawkins because it had been so last minute, but even so, Steve usually did a better job keeping it looking tidy. He was expected to do a better job.

John moved further into the house, noting new details. Steve’s sneakers were in the front hallway, alongside a pair of heavy boots, and every hook on the coat rack was filled. John saw two leather jackets that he was sure didn’t belong to Steve and a denim jacket covered in patches that he also didn’t recognize. The coffee table in the living room was covered in books and papers, and there was a stack of dirty plates in the sink. John set his bags down and glanced over at Irene, but she seemed as bemused as he was.

The basement door stood open, and they followed a heavy clank of metal on metal down the stairs. John stopped dead at the bottom, taking in the scene. All the furniture in the room was pushed up against the walls to create an open space in the center, where Steve was on his back on a weight bench. He was breathing heavily as he pressed up a bar with what seemed like a significant amount of weight on it. Another boy, blond and built like he knew exactly what he was doing with a set of weights, was spotting him. Steve finished a rep with clear effort and set the bar back on the rack. John glanced over at Irene, who had a little smile on her face. He frowned; she had always been too lenient with their son.

“Ugh,” Steve said, “I thought I would be able to do more reps.” The blond smirked down at him.

“You gotta be patient, pretty boy.” He flexed a bicep and turned to kiss it. “You don’t get results like these overnight.” Steve rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh.

“Steven?” John said, and the effect was immediate. Steve’s head whipped around and he started to quickly sit up. The other boy threw a protective hand between Steve’s forehead and the bar, preventing what probably would have been a painful collision. Steve didn’t take his gaze off of John as he ducked past the bar and sat up. The boy let his hand drop back to his side, but he took a step closer to Steve.

“Mom, Dad,” Steve said, standing up. “I didn’t know you were coming home.”

“Clearly,” John said, waving a hand at the stairs behind him. Steve flushed a little and his brows drew down. John opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but Irene’s hand was suddenly at his elbow, gently pulling him back toward the stairs. He glowered at her, but her eyes were on Steve and the other boy.

“We’ll need to unpack and freshen up,” she said calmly, glancing at her watch. “Dinner will be served at seven.” She looked back up. “I assume you boys will have no trouble being ready by then?” The two of them exchanged a quick, wordless glance that appeared to contain an entire conversation.

“No problem, Mom,” Steve said. “We can be ready.”

“Lovely,” Irene said with a smile, and then she steered John back upstairs. They picked up their bags in the foyer and John followed Irene to the second floor. He was thinking about the argument he was about to have with his wife about her intervention, but he stopped dead at the door to Steve’s room. His jaw dropped as he pushed the door open wider.

“Are you seeing this?” he demanded. Irene nodded slowly as she took in the room. The plaid wallpaper was gone. Instead, three of the walls were a cool grey color. The fourth wall, opposite Steve’s bed, was a bright, cheerful yellow. “Did you approve this?” John asked Irene, who had that small smile on her face again.

“I would have,” she said, “but he didn’t ask.” John shook his head. “Unbelievable.” Steve was behaving as though the house belonged to him. Whoever the other boy was, he was clearly a bad influence.

“What the hell was that, downstairs?” John demanded of Irene as soon as the door to the master suite closed behind them.

“Exactly what I looked like, I expect,” she said serenely, opening her suitcase and pulling out her toiletry bag.

“You know what I meant. I’m not sure why you intervened. He owes us an explanation,” John said.

“And he can provide one over dinner, if you absolutely insist,” she replied.

“And since when does Steve lift weights?” he demanded, irritated all over again that he had come home to a house that had changed, and a son who hadn’t yet apologized for it.

“Oh, I imagine those came with the boy,” Irene said with that same little smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“You better believe that I will be talking to Steven about that situation. His friend seems far too at home in this house. It’s probably his fault everything is in disarray.”

“That’s a bit of an overstatement, don’t you think?” Irene asked absently. She was facing away from him, looking into the vanity mirror as she removed her makeup.

“No, I don’t,” he said stubbornly. “The boy painted his room without consulting us, and the basement is barely usable.”

“I don’t see why that matters. You only ever spend time in your office when we’re here.” There was a pause.

“It’s the principle of the thing,” John finally said.

“Hmm,” was all Irene said in response.

“I don’t see why you included that boy in our dinner plans. Steven should have sent him home as soon as we arrived.” Irene stopped what she was doing and turned to face her husband. Her expression was amused.

“Darling,” she said patiently, and John knew she was growing irritated with him. She hadn’t called him that sincerely in a very long time. “You’re a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them. There are three additional coats on the coat rack, and it’s sixty-eight degrees outside, so he didn't wear all of them over here today. Additionally, there isn’t a teenager in the world who brings every single one of his textbooks over for a study date, and most of those books were for classes that Steve isn’t even taking.” John frowned at that. He hadn’t noticed that because he didn’t know what classes Steve was taking. He was a little surprised that Irene did. She continued. “And that weight bench, as we both know, isn’t Steve’s. That boy is living here, and probably has been for a while.” She intentionally did not mention the thick Stephen King book and the pair of reading glasses John obviously hadn’t noticed on the second nightstand in Steve’s room. Horror had never been Steve’s preferred genre, and he didn’t wear glasses.

“Well, I’m putting a stop to it,” John announced. Irene stared at him for a long moment, eyes going a little hard, though her smile stayed in place.

“We’re here for three days,” she said. “How exactly are you planning to control what Steve does after we leave?”

“I’ll threaten to cut him off. That should communicate the seriousness of the situation.” Irene stared for a beat and then turned back around to continue removing her makeup.

“You’ll do no such thing,” she corrected calmly.

“I’ll do as I see fit,” he shot back. She nodded to herself and set down the cloth in her hand. Then she turned around again, standing up to face him.

“Have you forgotten who you’re dealing with?” she asked, voice low. She hadn’t bothered to raise her voice at him in years. “Because you seem to be under the mistaken impression that I’m one of the sycophants you insist on surrounding yourself with.” She took a step toward him. “Here’s what you’re actually going to do. You’re going to unpack and freshen up. You’re going to go do whatever it is you do in your office until it’s time for dinner, and then you’re going to come eat. You’re going to be polite to our son and his friend.” John raised his eyebrows at her.

“I don’t see any reason why I should allow you to dictate my behavior,” he said, his tone condescending. Her answering smile was sharp.

“You actually don’t know, do you?” she murmured, shaking her head. “Steve turned eighteen two months ago. I do hope your assistant remembered to send a gift.” She saw the significance of it land. John swallowed. “Just so that we’re on the same page,” she continued, “if you decide that it is a good idea to berate or threaten our son, who is an adult, or his friend, you will very quickly find yourself in the middle of some probably very contentious divorce proceedings.” John glared at her.

“You wouldn’t,” he said confidently. “Your reputation stands to suffer as much as mine does.”

“I don’t care,” she said bluntly. “It’s been years since I cared what anyone in Hawkins thinks of me. The only thing you had to hold over my head was custody, and now that our son is an adult, your leverage is gone.”

“You cannot—“ he started to say, but she took a step closer and cut him off.

“We have an arrangement," she said, "and it's working. I get the freedom to live as I please most of the time, and you get the image of a perfect family on the rare occasions that you need it. It would be a shame to disrupt it simply because you are incapable of keeping your disapproval to yourself for three days.” John fumed, but he also backed down. He knew defeat when he heard it. He stalked off to the closet to change without further comment, unreasonably annoyed by the way Irene hummed to herself while she sat back down to finish removing her makeup. It wasn’t until later that he realized she had been humming Handel’s “Hail the Conquering Hero.”

An hour later, Irene had freshened up and was on her way down to the kitchen to start dinner. She stopped when she heard Steve’s hushed voice coming from the living room.

“Billy, I’m serious!” Then Steve gasped as if he had just realized something and groaned. “Oh my god, they probably saw my room.” Billy huffed a laugh.

“They should be thanking us for that, baby. The plaid wallpaper was a crime.”

“You don’t understand. My dad is going to—“ Steve stopped. “Hey, B, no,” he said in a softer voice. “Not like that. He’s not…I’m sorry. Come here.” Irene turned around and made her way silently back up the stairs, wanting to give her son and the boy he was obviously dating the time they deserved to finish their conversation. Dinner could wait.

Irene smiled to herself as she thought about how delighted Annette would be to learn that Steve had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who was right about the plaid wallpaper—it had been John’s idea, after he saw it in a magazine somewhere. The yellow was a vast improvement. Maybe the bedroom in her apartment in Paris could use an accent wall, Irene mused. She couldn’t wait to get back there, as soon as their weekend of pretending to be a happily married couple was over.

Your reputation stands to suffer, John had said, and he wasn’t wrong. The people of Hawkins would absolutely frown on her lifestyle, her life in Paris with her beloved Annette. But it certainly looked like that revelation wasn’t going to bother her son at all, and if Steve didn’t mind, Irene truly couldn’t care less if other people did. She smiled to herself again. When John finally figured it out, he was going to be furious, and there wasn't going to be a damn thing he could do about it. She found that thought immensely satisfying.

#Harringrove April Challenge #my writing #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #Steve Harrington's parents #this is mostly fluff?

130 notes · View notes

vivianweasley · 3 years

Text

Pride and Prejudice (Chapter 4)

Summary: Your father is Lucius Malfoy’s cousin, and after the war, it was really difficult for you to find a job because of your last name. So your mother and Mrs. Weasley came up with a crazy idea. A fake marriage between you and Fred Weasley.

In this chapter: Christmas at the burrow!

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Malfoy!Fem!Reader. slight mention of Ron X Hermione.

Warnings: mention of food, the reader’s shampoo smells apple (cuz i love the smell of apples and this will be useful in later chapters asfdjgk)

Word count: 1.6k

disclaimer: all pictures used in the header are from Pinterest. Credit goes to the original owners.

Please do NOT repost or translate my work on any platform! Reblogs and comments are always welcome:)

Pride and Prejudice Series Masterlist

You were sitting under the tree outside of the Burrow, making little flower rings and crowns. That was when you saw someone running towards you, and before you could recognize who it was, that shadow already climbed up the tree.

“Fred Weasley!! You say sorry to Ron right now!” Then you heard Mrs. Weasley’s voice shouting and coming your way. Beside her was a crying four-year-old boy, covered in paint. He was crying, but his state somehow made you chuckle.

“Y/N, dear, did you see Fred?” Mrs. Weasley stopped when she saw you and tried her best to put on a smile when she asked.

Maybe it was because Ron was crying in such a hilarious way. Maybe it was because you were interested in meeting the person who did this, so you covered for Fred, “I didn’t, Mrs. Weasley.”

Molly has always heard from your parents that you were a well-behaved kid, so she didn’t doubt a word you said and walked away.

The little prankster finally climbed down the tree after Molly went back into the house. He held out his hand to you, “Thank you for helping me! I’m Fred! What’s your name?”

You shook his hand, “Y/N.”

“Brilliant! What’s the word again-Ah! Since you just covered for me, we’re officially partners in crime now!”

You chuckled at his silly wink. You didn’t have any siblings, and you weren’t very close with your cousins either. So you were happy that you were making friends.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Making flower rings.” The flowers in your hand suddenly reminded you of something. You took a flower ring you just made and slipped it onto his left ring finger. He blinked and looked at you confused.

“I saw it somewhere that partners in crime wear matching rings. So here’s yours,” you explained and showed off the matching ring on your left hand, “and here’s mine.”

“Wicked!”

You were at the Burrow, nervously playing with the little silver flower on your wedding ring. This was actually the first time you were back at the Burrow even though you married Fred months ago. After all, it was a fake marriage, so you weren’t obligated to go to each other’s family gatherings. But it’s Christmas, and Molly insisted on having you at the Burrow, so your fake marriage would look more realistic.

So here you were, fidgeting at your husband’s childhood home. It wasn’t the first time you were at the Burrow, but for some reason, you were suddenly nervous that you won’t make a good impression. What if Molly spent time with you and realized this fake marriage was a mistake? What if the other Weasleys didn’t like you? What if-

“What are you thinking?” Fred’s voice startled you.

Of course, you weren’t going to tell him the truth, “Nothing.”

Fred raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t ask more questions. Instead, he wrapped his arms around your shoulders and started bringing you to the door, “Well then, let’s go!”

“To where?”

“Quidditch game! I need you to cheer for me and my team!”

“Okay, but I’m only cheering for the winning team!”

You and Hermione were sitting under the tree, watching their game. You had to admit that today’s game was indeed very intense. It was no less exciting than the school quidditch matches.

Hermione was watching carefully with her fists clenched. She would cheer when Ron successfully hit away the quaffle. And she would chuckle and whisper, “Idiot,” when Ron put on a silly face as he cheered.

You brought a book to the match, but your eyes were on Fred the entire time, following him wherever he goes. You noticed how his forearm muscle would tense up and how serious he looked when he’s focused. How come you never realized that your fake husband looked this good when he was playing quidditch.

Before you even realized what you were doing, you started cheering silently when Fred hit the bludger and gasping when the bludger almost hit him. You turned to look at Hermione when she was cheering for Ron again, and you realized you were just doing the same thing. And at this moment, you felt like you were really Fred’s wife, instead of just playing the part.

The game came to an end with Ron’s team winning and Fred’s losing. Everyone was cheering for Ron, while Fred just sat next to you quietly, with defeat written all over his face.

“I think you were brilliant out there,” you commented.

“I thought you were reading a book.”

“I was watching the game, too,” you continued, “Ron was pretty good, but if you didn’t save him, that bludger could’ve broken his arm.”

Fred turned to look at you with his eyes widened, looking very surprised, and you continued, “And I saw you hitting the bludger away three times more than George did.”

“So you were paying attention to me?”

”Of course,” you rolled your eyes to cover for the fact that your cheeks were heating up, “I was paying attention to you because you are my only friend here. Plus, you are my husband. It would be a little embarrassing for me too if you weren’t doing good.” You blurted out all the excuses you could find and went back inside with the others.

But Fred found himself unable to move. Growing up with six other siblings, it seemed like no one ever paid attention to him and only him. Sometimes he felt like even his mother would just treat him and George as one inseparable group collectively.

But now, you were only paying attention to him. And the way you said “my husband” worked like a spell that rendered him motionless. He was unable to do anything except for blushing and smiling like an idiot.

“Your mum’s cooking is so much better than yours,” you mumbled after you swallowed your food and took a sip of your drink.

“Yea, but my cooking is still better than yours,” Fred said as he dumped a spoonful of your favorite dish on your plate.

Molly smiled with adoration when she saw you and Fred helping each other to your favorite dishes so naturally without saying a thing. The last time she saw you two sitting at the same table, you were still rolling eyes at each other.

You glared at Fred, trying to think of a smart comeback. But Ginny spoke first, “You know how to cook? How come you never cooked for us?”

Fred smiled at his sister, “Yea, that’s not happening.”

“I can cook for you! I’m better than him, anyway,” you offered as you glared at Fred one more time.

“Okay, I’ve only known Y/N for less than a day, but I already like my sister-in-law better than you.”

“At least I won’t burn my toast twice in a morning.”

“I was in a hurry!” you protested, “At least I didn’t almost burn the kitchen down with a roast chicken.”

Ginny laughed at how you two were bickering like an old married couple. She wasn’t exaggerating when she said she liked her new sister-in-law. She always thought you were pretty cool back in Hogwarts, especially after seeing you comforting and protecting a few younger students when the death eaters were controlling the school. “Y/N, where are you staying tonight? You can stay in my room if you want.” But she soon realized something, “Or are you staying in Fred’s room?”

You blushed at Ginny’s question and immediately looked away, trying to search for a good response.

“Don’t worry about it, Ginny. They are pretty used to sharing a bed, right?” George raised his eyebrows as he teased.

“Oh shove off!” Fred glared at George, but you could feel your face heating up like an oven. Luckily, baby Victoire started crying, distracting everyone, and saving you from further questions.

After the dinner, Fred stayed downstairs to catch up with Bill, and you went upstairs on your own. The twins used to share the same bedroom, but George moved to Charlie's room since you were here for Christmas, leaving their childhood bedroom to you and Fred.

When Fred went upstairs, he saw you reading by the windowsill. It was strange having a girl here in his childhood bedroom. But watching you sitting there and reading so intently with your lower lip between your teeth, Fred felt like it made sense for you to be there. It felt natural, like you were the owner of this room.

“What are you reading?” Fred asked as he approached you.

“Pride and Prejudice,” you replied without looking at him.

“Never heard of it. Who’s the author?”

“You say it like you’ve read many books,” you finally looked up to mock him, “The author is called Jane Austen. She’s a muggle writer.”

Fred was surprised, “You’re reading a muggle book?”

“Yea. As long as it’s a great book, muggle or wizard, I will read it. Unlike you, not reading anything at all.” you glared at him, for you knew he was assuming things about you again.

Fred wasn’t offended by your comment. Instead, he propped up his head with his hand and looked at you, “How about you read it to me, so I could say I read it too.”

You rolled your eyes but still picked up the book and started reading. Fred always loved your voice. Now listening to you reading a book to him, your voice felt like a soft lullaby, calming him down and soothing his soul.

Fred smiled and decided to rest his head on your lap. You rolled your eyes again but didn’t stop him. Your fingers soon started combing his hair absent-mindedly. Fred closed his eyes contently, taking in the smell of your apple shampoo. This night was just perfectly peaceful and tranquil.

“Y/N?”

“Mhm?”

“One year later, after we got a divorce, if you still want to come here during Christmas...I think my mum would be happy to have you.”

“That would be lovely,” you replied as a warm feeling spread through your body. You had a feeling that you understood what he was trying to say.

(to be continued.)

Chapter 5

series taglist: @ifilosemyselfagain @theweasleytwinsgirl @bookworm06 @unabashedbookscollector @txtdreamss @sagittarius-flowerchild @rsheridan @ovrwd @anywherebuthere @allaroundaddict @jeminila @secretsofageek @magical-spit @freddieweasleyswife @lilypad-55449 @hufflepuffzutara @honey-honey-5644 @kyloren-peterparker @treblebeth @kyloren-peterparker @fred-sux @rodrickmalfoy @liliputbahn (message me if you want to be added or removed!)

(General taglist in reblogged post)

Taglist Form!

#fred weasley #fred weasley x reader #weasley twins #fred weasley imagine #fred weasley fanfic #fred weasley fanfiction #fred weasley series #harry potter fanfic #harry potter fanfiction #fred weasley x malfoy!reader #tw food #tw mention of food

222 notes · View notes

adsosfraser · 3 years

Text

The Stone’s Toll - Chapter Five

Read on AO3

Claire sat nursing her glass of expensive cognac. Neither of them initiated a conversation, preferring silence to the inevitable argument that would ensue.

It was Christmas Eve when she returned. Little over a month and a half in that soul leeching ward. Frank had decorated the house with holly, and ivy, and even some sprigs of mistletoe in an attempt for some normalcy.

“Claire, I’m sorry for what they did to you. I was angry at you. You not only chose to leave me once but twice over. You’d rather die than feel my touch. I wanted to feel anything but utter despair. I’m sorry it has taken me so long to return you home.” She offered no response.

“Do you have any idea just how difficult these last few months- past few years have been for me Claire? How utterly exhausting it has been to deal with your loss and then now this? I don’t wish to fight you on any of this. Let us have a civilised conversation please.”

“How hard it’s been for you!” Her mouth hung open in shock. “You think these past few months have just been a fucking picnic for me!” She stood in her anger and seethed at the fireplace, back turned from her husband.

“Of course not, but did you ever stop to consider how I’ve felt about anything?”

“Did you ever consider my feelings when you were sticking your cock into one of your students?! God, did you give me one of their diseases?” Shock plastered over his face. “Oh don’t act so surprised, I’ve smelt the perfume and all those long nights at your ‘office’.”

“Claire, be reasonable. You’ve only let me touch you once, and that was before I was intimate with anyone else. Not all of us are such mendacious sluts.”

“Oh and I’m sure you were an exemplary student of abstinence while I was ‘missing’, for fuck’s sake even during the war, because clearly me being the ‘mendacious slut’ that I am I wasn’t entirely faithful either!”

“I don’t wish to fight you anymore Claire, something has recently come upon my knowledge during my research, and it affects you. Please have a seat.” He gestured to the decanter on the side table and poured a glass for her.

“It pains me to see you like this Claire. I can’t in good conscience force you to stay here and slip further and further away from me every day” Frank sucked in a breath and smoothed his hands over his thighs. “It angered me to see that you’d rather die... than be with me. That you chose his memory over me, a living, breathing human being, and I couldn’t even be sure he was real. Still can't. Can you not see Claire why it took me a while to finally decide upon your release?”

The hazy buzz that normally surrounded her mind now had started to fade, if only slightly. Claire squinted at Frank and nodded.

He paused, calculating his next words.

“I’ve done some research with the Reverend. We’ve been in communication since you’ve told me what happened.”

Frank adjusted his collar. He stared at the stack of papers to his right on the desk.

“And well we certainly found evidence of your presence in the past, but there are other things.”

Claire stared straight through him, she didn’t need to worry about her glass face showing something wrong. She felt nothing. This confirmation made no difference for the hell she had been through. The numb feeling had taken a while to crawl over her body the past few months and she welcomed it. It felt better than the suffocating dread and grief she originally felt.

“I know I must let you go. Go to him I mean. It’s the least I can do for the pain I’ve inadvertently caused you, Claire. Please forgive me. It’s unbearable for me to live to see you this way, even if the alternative is to send you back.”

“He’s dead, Frank. They all are.” Her lips thinned into a line. “I have nothing to live for.”

She cringed at her last choice of words. She didn’t want to cause him unnecessary suffering. But she was too tired to lie, to protect him from such verbal blows.

“But Claire. He survived.” His white knuckles wrapped tightly around the armrest of the leather chair and he flexed his jaw. “This man, this Red Jamie was exonerated of his crimes, with a pardon from King George II himself. And his lands returned in reparation.”

“How-how can you tell me this? You know what I- God what you put me through. Why would you give me this hope?”

“I’ve also found one Alexander Malcolm and his,” he gulped, “wife Elizabeth Malcolm. But Claire, this is your hand on the document. A christening, where Elizabeth, where you’re stated as godmother in a church in Broch Mordha. But then there’s also this purchase of a croft on the Isle of Lewis, with the same signature as Alexander Malcolm.”

“Please, Claire, allow me to make amends for whatever part I’ve caused in your suffering. If there’s some piece, some knowledge I can give you, it would ease my mind considerably. I don’t wish for you to waste away before my eyes, for the rest of our days in resentment.” His lips tightened into a thin line. “I met someone while you were away. The new assistant under me at Harvard. I think,” he paused, “I think I love her as you love your Jamie. Let us divorce and I’ll give you what funds I have.”

“You’re just- okay with that?”

“Claire, you haven’t been my wife in years, not really.”

“So that’s just it? I offered divorce when I returned, and finally accept when you’ve damaged me. My mind, my soul!” He winced at the sight of circled bits of skin on her temples.

“And I am regrettably sorry, darling.” He reached for her hand and squeezed. “I know this is what you’ve wanted ever since you’ve returned. Please, let me make this easy on you. I have the banking number for what covers the divorce settlement. It should be enough to purchase a flight to London, and then I know the inheritance from your parents and uncle should help you on your way to Inverness.” He slid over a paper card to her, detailing the whereabouts of the money he was offering her. She kept her arms crossed tightly over her sternum, not wishing to take any charity from him.

“There's another thing. Your son, the name they said you called out in your sleep every night. I have this death certificate of one Fergus Claudel Fraser. Marked March in the year of our lord Seventeen Forty-Five.” Tears sprang in her dry eyes at the mention of him. He pulled out a sheet from the pile of papers he collected and shoved it over to her side of the table.

“Why are you doing this Frank?” She couldn’t bear this physical proof that she had left her son to die without her.

“Here is one Fergus Malcolm, on the Isle of Lewis, a year after his ‘death’ and you're on this too. Or rather your alter ego one Elizabeth Beauchamp Malcolm. If nothing else, will you not live for him? Even if the proof of him amounts to nothing, that he really did die at Culloden? Please, take the money, and the papers. I’m hoping it can ease my conscience from all the torture you’ve endured.”

The last thing Claire wanted to do was ease Frank’s ego. She wanted him to suffer. But here was a lifeline, a way out and back to her family. She would see Fergus again if fate allowed. Her mind would never allow her to comprehend the other piece of hope before her. The one sure thing she knew was Fergus, he had been whole and alive the last she saw him. And there was something urging her to him. A panicked urgency. Her mind flashed to the nights after her therapies, when his presence in her dreams was almost so real she could feel his touch after she woke. She quickly signed the paper he offered. Claire Elizabeth Fraser. The wet ink shined against the thick paper. His suffering would have to wait. Her fingers began to twist the gold band on her finger but Frank stopped her.

“No, keep it. It will have value when you… return. The papers will be sorted by the time you’re gone, and we’ll both be free.” He swallowed sharply. “Know this Claire. I still love you, and I always will.”

He had a funny way of showing it, Claire thought. She didn’t dignify his statement with a response. She left him in the living room to pack, and as the sun rose the next morning her bed and dresser were empty.

Frank set aside some money for the divorce settlement into Claire’s own account. She withdrew the three hundred pounds without a second thought, and purchased a ticket to London. It barely covered the cost of a transatlantic flight, which was more of a luxury than anything, but she could afford to spend money, not time. A ship between would have lasted weeks, not hours. She was left with little over fifty pounds to find her way to Inverness. The only things she carried with her were her pearls, sgian dubh, the ring without its ruby stone, the copious amount of papers from Frank’s research, her old botany pocketbook, and a change of clothes, all packed into one small suitcase. Her things barely fit half the space inside it. The gold band hung around her neck on a chain now, instead of resting comfortably on her left ring finger. It clanged against the skin between her breasts with every sway of her steps. It was decided over a very pricey international phone call, she would go see Mrs. Graham.

#claire beauchamp #jamie x claire #jamie fraser #fergus fraser #outlander fanfiction #adsofraser writing #craigh na dun #canon divergence #divorce #frank randall #outlander fanfic

39 notes · View notes

bowie-boy · 3 years

Note

Favorite LGBT+ headcanons for X-Files characters? Mine is that pretty much every main F.B.I. agent(including Krycek) is either bisexual or asexual(or both)! :)

This has been in my inbox for months and I keep forgetting about it I’m so sorry but TODAY IS THE DAY!!!! Happy TDOV Fox and @himbo-mulder (this is my response to your ask too)

LGBTQ X-Files Headcanons Because Someone Asked

Fox Mulder:

Bi and trans icon

The first person he told was Samantha

She accepted him immediately as her big brother and told him he should name himself Fox (it was her favorite animal at the time)

He was going to make his name William Mulder Jr. up until she disappeared, in which he actually decided to make his first name Fox (he misses her 🥺)

Came out to his parents sometime in high school, both took it badly

Bill was hella transphobic—he was already pretty shitty to Mulder but this added a whole new layer to it

Teena was more passive aggressive about it but still made withering comments about how she “lost two daughters now”

Some high school friends (*chants* PHOEBE AND GIMBLE PHOEBE AND GIMBLE) helped Mulder start T and change his legal name on government documents before he left for Oxford

Mulder wanted to go stealth while he was there but came out to Phoebe

When they broke up, she outed him to everyone

Things got so bad that he almost dropped out

Mulder joined the FBI, excited at the prospect of knowing no one and being able to go exclusively by his last name

He was somewhat happy of his solitude in the basement—no one really looked into him past his spooky nature, so no one could find out he was trans

Since Samantha, Scully was the first person who was truly accepting of who he really was

Got top surgery sometime before Colony

Definitely fell in love with Scully right after reading her profile skrjnwkdjwka

Mulder and Krycek were definitely an item for a hot sec until Krycek went evil

Mulder is 500% faithful to Scully but kinda had a crush on Doggett for a little bit

Mulder just wants to be a better dad than Bill 🥺🥺🥺

Mulder helped Byers realize he was trans!!! More on that later though

Dana Scully:

A bi queen

Definitely experimented in college and had a couple girlfriends there and through med school

Ending up breaking up with a girl she was really close with because Scully’s job was just putting too much strain on their relationship

It was really hard on her and made her swear off serious relationships for a long time

She thought Mulder was adorable from the moment she saw him but was really scared of actually developing feelings for him so she pushed it down

And kept pushing it down until she finally realized Mulder was never going to hurt her and actually let him in

I’m just ranting about MSR now oops

100% faithful to Mulder but thought Reyes was super hot

Scully is just a distinguished bi idk what else to say

Walter Skinner:

You can’t adopt THAT MANY LGBT agents if you’re not LGBT yourself, right?

Definitely bisexual

Grew up in a really conservative family and didn’t even consider it an option until he moved out

Skinner was attracted to a lot of guys in his squad in Vietnam but he thought it was just because there were no women around

(Spoiler alert: it wasn’t)

Skinner fell in love with John “Kitten” James and he fell hard

Absolutely did everything possible to protect that man

He was terrified of his feelings though and pushed them down, eventually starting to resent his best friend for making him feel things he couldn’t understand

When Kitten got infected by that gas, Skinner put his values over the man he loved, not just because he thought it was the right thing to do, but because he was terrified that he might be bi

He has regretted it ever since

Married his wife after the war and had a pretty good relationship until he became too consumed with his work

Their breakup was really hard on him and he delved even more into his work

Sometime after Avatar (maybe by season 5 or 6), Skinner meets a really lovely man and that man becomes his boyfriend

It’s really hard at first, but the guy helps Skinner to open up and allow himself to be okay with who he really is

They make time for each other outside of work and are really happy together!

Skinner’s boyfriend is 100% okay with the fact that Skinner has basically adopted all these agents

Skinner is everyone’s dad!!! No exceptions

John Byers:

Trans man!!!!

Discovered it pretty late in life, like he knew earlier but he Repressed it

First person he ever came out to was Mulder (as in my fic 😌)

Lots of internalized transphobia in this man but Mulder and the Lone Gunmen really helped him break out of that

Langly and Frohike obviously went with him to get his first T shot and chanted “MAN JUICE” while it happened (scaring a lot of the nurses)

Met Susanne before he transitioned so seeing her again in Three of a Kind was a little terrifying for him

She accepts him though and is a bi icon herself

Byers wears suits so much because they make him feel really validated

Ringo Langly:

Non-binary and gay!! Langly uses any pronouns (gonna stick to he/him for this list to keep things simple though)

Grew up pretty unaware about gender as a whole, just living his life

Moving away from home to a city was huge for him, he started going to gay bars and really realized that he was gay

Eventually started to experiment with his gender, using different pronouns etc., and found out he was non-binary!

Came out to Frohike shortly after learning Frohike was bi (more on that later)

Goes by Ringo because it’s somewhat gender neutral

He isn’t dysphoric very often but when he is it’s very hard for him to cope, Byers and Frohike are always there to support him and help however possible though

Langly gets way more dates than Frohike and loves to brag about it

Melvin Frohike:

We stan one funky little bi king

HE WAS AT STONEWALL I’LL DIE ON THIS HILL

Frohike had a mega crush on Mulder when he first met him and it persisted all the way until he met Scully

And then when he met Doggett he crushed on him too

Frohike is just kind of a hopeless romantic okay I love him

Absolutely bonds with Scully and they always debate which celebrity is hotter while they get more and more drunk

John Doggett

GAY MAN

Doggett was really repressed for a lot of his life, not because he thought his family would hate him for being gay but mostly because of his environment

(He was a drama kid though)

The military REALLY repressed him and thoroughly fucked him up

It wasn’t until he met Reyes that he started to accept himself more

At first Reyes being a lesbian totally freaked him out and he was really upset, leading to a huge strain on their friendship, but one night he broke down and told her he was pretty sure he was gay

Reyes really helped him through everything, especially his divorce from his wife and the loss of his son

Doggett eventually came out to his dad, who was super accepting

It took Doggett a long time to be comfortable enough to date but he started and met a really great guy, one who he’s now married to

One day he mentioned his boyfriend in passing and the rest of the Spooky Squad totally flipped out because they had no idea he was gay

Doggett just straight-faced “I didn’t think it was relevant?”

Sings musical theater songs in the office when no one else is there

Monica Reyes:

A lesbian

There isn’t a straight bone in her body have you SEEN her???

Absolutely crushed on Scully for the longest time at first, totally backed off when she realized she was involved with Mulder

Total mlm/wlw solidarity with Doggett

Reyes is super comfortable with her sexuality

I’m convinced that she’s married and she and her wife live in the same neighborhood as Doggett and his husband

Running out of brain power at this point but I just love her so much??? Mwah

Alex Krycek:

Gay rat

Everything he did against Mulder and Scully was fueled by spite at his ex-boyfriend Mulder

Daddy issues

Sometimes he breaks into TLG’s base and vibes with them for a few days

Rat (affectionate)

Deep Throat:

Gay :)

Bonus: Melissa Scully is a trans lesbian and Samantha Mulder is bisexual and they’re dating

#jack’s posts #the x files #txf #x files #fox mulder #trans fox mulder #bi fox mulder #dana scully #walter skinner #alex krycek #john byers #ringo langly #richard langly #melvin frohike #john doggett #monica reyes #melissa scully #samantha mulder #long post

92 notes · View notes

personasintro · 4 years

Text

My Tiny Secret | 19; The Resemblance

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒊𝒏𝒚 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆 | 19; The Resemblance

⏤𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔; Pretty face doesn’t make it up for an ugly personality. And Kim Seokjin is the perfect proof of that.

⏤𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: seokjin x reader

⏤𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: angst, smut, mistress au, unexpected pregnancy au

⏤𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: strong language

⏤> 𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙

It's almost comical how everything has changed ever since you've met Seokjin. You're still trying to understand if it's for the better or the complete opposite. Sometimes you wonder how would your life look like, if you just ignored him and never agreed to that dinner.

That night changed everything for you. You always bring yourself back to that time, ever since you've started seeing him again. Maybe it's the reason why you desperately wanted him to change, or imagined things being different between you two. Thinking about it, you don't think you've ever heard him saying something caring or nice, but his actions often made you very confused. Like the time when he transferred fourteen million won to your bank account.

You were speechless, so shocked that it took you a solid day before you called him, yelling at him. It made you feel like a slut, considering you slept with him and then he magically thought of sending you money. He listened to you yelling into the phone, voice shaky before he heard your sniffles. He didn't tell you want you wanted to hear, but he did tell you to keep that money.

'You got this wrong, just keep the damn money' he told you, before he ended that call.

It should've been another red light for you, telling you to forget about him and never speak to him again. But a few days passed and you met again. This time he wasn't like a stranger, but a man you were sexually craving for.

And look at how things have changed. You gave birth to his son and he's been in your life almost every day ever since. Things go slowly better, you see a new side of him every minute he looks at Yoojin. He's the only person who cracks his cold persona, bringing some kind of warmth to his heart.

As much as your relationship was strictly sexual, you still wanted to know some things about him. You wanted to get to know him. Not just from your observation and his actions, but trying to talk to him. But he wouldn't let that happen, he'd push you away as soon as he could sense your curiosity and sudden interest in him.

He knows so much about you – about your father, mother and even your family that barely shows any support of you having a kid. They don't care about you or your baby, simply judging you by the fact that you got pregnant by someone who you're not even in a relationship with.

Gosh, how you hated him when he got what he wanted, pumped you full of him cum and left without any word. But could you hate him? He always reminded you that it's strictly physical, and you agreed to that. But he went such a length, sending you money every month and as many times as you yelled at him in frustration, he stood by and waited until you're done. You felt used, as if he's paying you for your body. But he never explained it properly, the real meaning behind him sending you his money.

'I'm not paying you for a sex' he simply said one night, while putting on his black slacks.

It gave you a thought that he might care about you, but then he'd be so rude and hurt you with his honesty making you think the opposite. In a way, it's your own fault for being so naive, even though you knew who he is and what he wants from you. It wasn't only him who wanted to have sex, you craved for him as much as he did for you, maybe even more.

You're tangled in this huge mess, that you'll never get out of. You'll have to learn to accept him for who he is, since he's your son's father.

Never in a million years you thought, you'd get the chance to get emotionally closer to him. But now his father sits in your living room, with Yoojin in his arms while Seokjin watches him very carefully, almost as if he's waiting for him to do something unexpected.

“He looks like you when you were little, Jin.” His father says, breaking the awkward silence between the two of you as he stares at Yoojin's sleepy face.

“Funny, since you were barely there for me as a father.” Seokjin shoots straight away, your breath hitching in your throat at his sudden outburst.

You've felt the tension the second his father stepped into your home, but you'd have never thought Seokjin would burst in front of you. He doesn't show an ounce of respect to his father, something that irks you because one thing you don't like – is disrespect.

It's pretty clear their relationship isn't good, and his father doesn't seem to be phased by Seokjin's words even though they sounded hurtful to your ears.

“I still made sure you're privileged.” His father shoots back, your eyes widening before you look at Seokjin.

He glares at his father, a look you've never seen on his face before. Sure, you've seen him being angry and you're aware of what those dark eyes of his are capable of, but this is different. If his father weren't holding your son, you're sure Seokjin would probably jump at him from the way his hands twitch in his lap. And just when you think he's not going to react, he opens his mouth and is already straightening himself, you're quick to hold his hands to keep him in place.

“Would anyone like some tea?” you ask politely, your voice awfully sweet. It's oblivious it's just your weak attempt to change the topic and the tension in the room, both of them know that but luckily, none of them call you out for it.

Glancing at Seokjin, you find his jaw securely locked as he looks like he's just seconds from bursting out. You squeeze his hands in comfort, hoping he's going to calm down before he can cause a scene. There is an obvious tension between them, not a typical relationship between father and son.

“No, thank you,” Mr. Kim says, glancing at Seokjin before he looks back at you. “I must say, you've surprised me, Miss Y/L/N.”

“Y/N,” you blurt out, “Just call me Y/N.” you tell him, hating how formal this seems.

Yes, you see this man for the first time, but he's your son's grandfather. There's no need to be so formal when he's your son's family.

From the corner of your eyes, you see Seokjin's head snap to yours before he gives you a look of confusion and you can already make his thoughts just from his single expression. What the fuck are you doing?

Shrugging in response, you sheepishly smile at him before you let go of his hands just to place your own into your lap, fumbling with them. Now you know where Seokjin gets his intimidation and confidence. They both have an aura of dominance in their mannerism.

“I've to admit, I kind of expected to hold my grandchild in my arms one day. Even though lately, it seemed almost impossible considering Seokjin's and his wife's situation,” he says, your whole body freezing at the mention of her, someone was supposed to be in your place right now. “Oh, there's no need to be ashamed, Y/N.”

You look at the man with widened eyes, hands still fumbling but there's no one to give you comfort. But Mr. Kim's words do absolutely nothing but damage to your soul at the reminder of what you've done. You're surprised he's even speaking to you, he should be angry but he just seems tactical instead. So naturally, you feel ashamed by being reminded for sleeping with married man.

“I know my son can be quite persistent when he wants,” he chuckles, a glint of amusement in his dark eyes as he doesn't even spare a glance his son's way. “How are you going to deal with this, Seokjin?”

Although, you're relieved Mr. Kim's attention is brought elsewhere, you can't get rid off your nervousness and anxiety that's creeping in with each minute.

“What do you mean?” Seokjin speaks up, frowning at his father in what looks like confusion, but it's more like warning.

He knows his father and his ways, there's not even an ounce of innocence in his raspy voice. He's not asking just from a mere curiosity.

“Well, you've a son with a woman you're not married with and your wife is at home, waiting for her husband.”

Your breath hitches in your throat for Seokjin, hands ticking to reach for your son and hold him instead, but you stay seated next to Seokjin's tensed body as irritation and anger radiates from him.

“I don't see how's that any of your business.” he snaps.

“It's not, but I think you should get a divorce.”

The whole room goes silent, your heart skipping a few beats from the shock, as Seokjin seems to be taken back by his father's words. But it lasts for a couple of seconds before his features are neutral. Has he ever thought about getting a divorce?

You know their marriage is not an act of love.

“Weren't you the one who insisted on me marrying her? You were the one who pushed me into it, you knew I don't love her.” he sounds accusative, his tone sharp and protective.

In a way, he's protecting himself right now. It makes you wonder if Seokjin is damaged like every other person and he just hides it that well. It makes you want to know what's going on inside of his head and you mentally gasp at that. You care and you're worried about him, more than you've ever were.

“Oh, come on. It was an idea you've decided to agree on, I never pushed you into anything. If you didn't know, it's impossible to tell you what to do. It was conventional and beneficial for your business.”

He talks about business, reasoning his own idea that he brought to Seokjin, like feelings and love aren't important. It's not their priority and not everyone's dream is to fall in love, get married and have kids. It wasn't Seokjin's plan to conceive a child, not with you at least. But he stood up to it better than you'd have ever imagined.

He purses his lips in response, and you know his father is telling the truth – even Seokjin himself knows that.

“Now that you've a kid, I think it'd be wise to divorce her. What's the point to be married with her, when your days are spent in here instead of your own home?”

Just like that, Mr. Kim just hit the nail on the head.

You've no say in this, this is none of your business and when Yoojin starts to wake up and squirm in his spot, you know it's your cue to feed your son. Mr. Kim doesn't protest, giving you your son right away as he recognizes the wails of hunger. When you're finally in the comfort of your bedroom, you ignore your racing heart and look at Yoojin, who happily latches onto your nipple and stares at you with those identical eyes to his father's.

The closed door to your bedroom makes a perfect barrier for you not to hear them, when the two men are left alone in your living room.

“How would you know about that?” Seokjin asks, his voice low as he glares at his father once again. He doesn't give him a response, slowly lifting the corner of his mouth in a small smile. “She told you, didn't she? Does she know you want me to divorce her?”

Surely, she wouldn't be happy to know the topic of this conversation. Their marriage is beneficial only to her, as long as she gets to leave in their luxury house with money on her bank account, she's not going to let go of Seokjin so easily. He doesn't see the point in his own marriage. What the fuck is he supposed to do? He can't deal with her knowing what kind of reaction she'd have if he just mentioned 'divorce' word to her. What if she comes back here and starts to threaten you?

Some part of him thinks she won't be capable of doing that, but does he even know her that well? She surprised him by coming here the first time and it was enough to make his blood boil. Somehow, you get caught up in the middle of this. Both of you aren't innocent in this, he cheated with you and you ended up pregnant with his child, carried him for nine months. Yet, you're the least person that should be involved in this – it's weird he feels that way.

“No,” he answers, cutting off Seokjin's wild thoughts. “She's angry at you. She's angry at her.” he says, pointing towards the closer bedroom door that makes him follow his father's hand.

Something weird stirs at that inside of him, and he doesn't like it.

“She's hurt,” Seokjin murmurs, your voice echoing in his mind, remembering your exact words you've told him that time. “She wanted to carry my child.”

“Yeah, for money,” His father speaks up, rolling his eyes. “Listen, I know I wasn't the father you deserved. I should've focused more on you and your feelings, and I'm not here to tell you what to do. You're a very wise man, Seokjin. And I'm sure you weren't prepared for this, to become father under such circumstances but focus on that little guy there. Think about what's best for him but think about what you want as well. I know you can be a better father than I ever was.”

He never took his father's words to his heart before. He knew his father is smart and knows his way around business, it felt like he's more of his business partner rather than his father. But somehow, those words he just said got stuck in his head and made much more impact than he was ever prepared for.

When his father leaves, making sure he bids he goodbye to you, it's just the two of you alone, with Yoojin sleeping in his crib. Closing the door with a soft thud, you make your way to the living room where Seokjin still sits on the couch. However this time, his elbows are leaned against his knees with hands covering his face as he lets out a silenced sigh.

You stop in your tracks, eyeing him in his current state. He seems to be vulnerable, sad even. Is it something his father said? Are thoughts clouding his mind?

Walking up to him, you sit next to him and hesitantly put your hand on his back. “Are you okay?”

Your voice is gentle and careful not to make it seem like you're being nosy, because it's not that. Behind those gentleness and carefulness, there is a worry rooted. Surprisingly, Seokjin doesn't push you away nor flinches away from your touch. He slowly looks up, hands dropping down from his face as he stares at the floor with puzzled look.

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to.” you speak up, your voice still gentle and relaxed as your hands slowly slides off his back.

“I know.” he sighs, turning his head your direction but he doesn't stare at you. He stares at your hands playing with the hem of your blouse.

You even dressed up for his father, wanting to look nice when he sees you. It's not like you wanted to impress him, but you still didn't want him to see you in sweatpants and loose shirt. It feels nice to be dressed up nicely, you almost forgot how that feels like.

Seokjin forgot how beautiful you look for a moment. Sure, maternity suits you in different way but he couldn't help the occasional glances your way.

The night settles on the sky, darkening the view from windows of Seokjin's office. The dim lightening makes him sleepy and he's glad his meeting is about to end, his eyes almost dropping from the lack of sleep from last night. He wished he could sleep without care, like he used to for so many years. But a lot has changed since then. Not even him sleeping in the guest bedroom, away from his wife, didn't help.

Huh, how desperate he thought that's the reason of his sleepless nights.

The phone that flashes with a notification on the desk catches his attention, although it's phone of his business partner. He watches him glancing at the screen, a soft smile spreading on his lips as Seokjin catches the sight of his wallpaper. It's a kid. He's smiling widely into the camera, showing off his gummy smile with a piece sign – and it makes him think.

“Can I ask you something?” Seokjin speaks up, glancing at the man in designer black suit who's packing his stuff. He doesn't want to hold him up more than it's necessary, it's clear he has a family – someone to come home to.

“Sure,” he answers, tired eyes glancing up at him.

“How is it having a kid?” he asks, gulping when he hears his own words but doesn't budge.

Mr. Min's brows shoots up, hiding beneath the dark hair as he thinks about the question. Well, he surely wasn't expecting someone like Seokjin ask such a question. Both men are very professional, they've never spoke about anything but business.

“It changed my whole life.” he answers simply, not really sure what to say.

“Isn't it scary?” Seokjin presses, not wanting to let go off this topic which he seems to be rather interested in.

“So much,” Mr. Min says, chuckling as if he remembered something particular. “Me and my wife weren't planning on having a kid, but it happened. And now that our son is here, I don't think my life would be the same. I worry about him every day, but that's when you know what being a father feels like. It's scary as fuck, but it's the most beautiful feeling besides sharing it with someone you love.”

He's not phased by the man's language, finding it accurate.

And Mr. Min's words replay in his mind even when the man leaves and goes home to his family. And he keeps hearing them for the rest of the sleepless night.

#networkbangtan #bts smut #bts fluff #bts angst #seokjin x reader #seokjin smut #bts au #seokjin angst #seokjin drabble #kim seokjin au #kpop fanfic #personasintro

699 notes · View notes

ingek73 · 3 years

Text

Why Meghan Markle Is a Champion for All Women

By Brittany Alexandra Sulc, updated on May 1, 2021

March is women’s history month, and the women of decades past deserve our celebration. Without them, we wouldn’t have the right to vote, own property or have a say in our own reproductive rights. The thing is, if that’s our bar for women’s liberation, it’s really low. The life of Meghan Markle is a perfect example.

This woman, who’s as close to a real-life, modern-day princess as a person can get, has been harassed, scrutinized and picked apart by the media and the royal family alike. In celebration of International Women’s Day, Meghan Markle’s bold moves are proof of how far we’ve come. Our treatment of her is proof of how far we have to go.

Meghan Markle is a new kind of royal, and not everyone’s a fan.

Let’s roll the tapes, shall we? Meghan Markle was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and identifies as mixed-race. At age 11, Meghan confronted Procter & Gamble about a national dish soap campaign that she believed was sexist. A few months later, the company changed its ads.

She excelled in school, graduating from Northwestern in 2003 with a double major in theater and international studies. She went on to become an actress but met initial resistance because of her "ethnically ambiguous" looks. While she waited for her acting career to take off, she supported herself by teaching bookbinding and working as a freelance calligrapher. In 2011, she landed a lead role in USA’s "Suits," which she continued for several seasons through 2017.

She met Prince Harry in 2016, and the couple hit it off instantly. Less than two years later, they were married, and the following year, they welcomed their first child. At first glance, that sounds like every American girl’s dream. After growing up with Disney, "Princess Diaries" and the "Prince and Me," we all secretly loved the idea of being a princess. Meghan Markle lived out our dreams, but as it turns out, they weren’t as idyllic as we imagined.

In the five years since Meghan Markle met her prince, she has:

Struggled to gain acceptance from the royal family.

Been the target of harsh criticism and constant rumors from the British press and numerous tabloids. It got so bad that Prince Harry filed a defamation suit against one of them, which he recently won.

Had every detail of her past and personal life examined under a magnifying glass and exploited.

Faced significant backlash over her supposed choice to break with royal tradition.

Essentially, she dared to be American, middle-class, mixed-race, feminist and human. And she was punished for it.

Meghan Markle’s split from royal life was a symptom of a society stuck in the past. During Meghan’s time as an active member of the royal family, she faced a markedly different response from the media than her sister-in-law Kate Middleton. Meghan Markle’s previous divorce was picked apart, despite the fact that it happened years earlier. Something as innocuous as rubbing her pregnant belly, a pretty universal expecting-mom habit, was called "vain," while Kate was praised for doing the exact same thing.

Tabloids constantly portrayed Meghan as a rebellious villain set on breaking from tradition. In an 84-minute interview with Oprah, which was a scandal in and of itself, Meghan insists that couldn’t be further from the truth. She did her best to support the royal family, but they failed to return the favor.

When they had the opportunity to go on public record and deny slanderous rumors about her, they declined. In the interview, Meghan Markle stated, "They were willing to lie to protect other members of the family, but they weren’t willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband."

When she appeared on the cover of almost every British tabloid, the royal institution asked her to lay low, despite the fact that she had left the house only twice in the previous months. It was all about appearances. Speaking of appearances, there was also a discussion about how her son would look when he was born. Specifically, whether his skin would be dark. Between blatant racist and sexist remarks to controlling isolation and a lack of support from "the firm," Meghan Markle’s mental health suffered. Whose wouldn’t?

In the 21st century, we’re still prioritizing appearances over mental health and human welfare. It needs to stop.

Meghan Markle endured all of this while pregnant, breastfeeding and adapting to motherhood. She went on to experience a miscarriage as well. Miscarriages are quite common, and they often happen without any apparent cause. Still, pregnancy is a physically taxing feat, and it’s possible for stress to impact a woman’s ability to sustain a healthy pregnancy. It’s insane that in 2021 we have cause to wonder whether the world stressed a so-called princess into a miscarriage.

How we treat people has a profound effect on their well-being. A modern-day "princess" felt so alone, so mistreated, that she didn’t want to be alive anymore. This is in her own words. She was so miserable that she didn’t feel like herself, experiencing terrifying, concrete thoughts about ending her own life. She felt trapped in a very similar way many of us felt during 2020’s lockdown, isolated and out of options. She sought help and was told no repeatedly because of how it might look, even when her life was at risk.

She attended an event in a beautiful, sparkling blue gown, because she did not trust herself to stay home alone. Harry clung to his wife’s hands in love and fear, while she cried every time the cameras turned away. The pictures show only her smiles.

Meghan Markle is the kind of princess we should all support.

To say that the situation was unacceptable was an understatement. It could easily be said that it was abusive. The dark, controlling nature of royal life was thick with racist overtones. The accusation that the couple abruptly left the royal family was, according to their interview with Oprah, entirely false. And we believe them. They left because, after two years of asking for help, they received none. Harry feared that he would lose his wife due to the toxic treatment by Britain’s oldest institution — much as he lost his mother Diana. The institution was more afraid of losing the favor of the tabloids than of losing the first person of color in their family to depression.

When the couple relocated to Canada, protections for them and their son Archie were cut off. Their location was already public knowledge, so they relied on Tyler Perry’s generous support to stay safe. When death threats are a common occurrence, safety is a pretty big consideration. They later moved to California, where they’ve spent the last year restarting their lives almost from scratch.

Meghan Markle entered the royal family with the intention of being a devoted part of it. There was no sinister plan to steal a prince from his royal lifestyle. Meghan and Harry left out of necessity. In many ways, it was an escape. Leaving simply wasn’t done, but they bravely did it anyway.

Love her or hate her, Meghan Markle deserves your respect.

She had no obligation to live the life Queen Elizabeth, the media, or anyone else expected of her.

In Markle's interview, she stated that during the wedding, her wedding, it didn’t feel like her day. It was a day for the world. The expectation was that she married a centuries-long institution, but she chose to, very simply, marry the man she loved instead. She’s now raising a beautiful family with him, passing on values they truly believe in. That’s a happily ever after we should support.

Whether or not Meghan Markle is a perfectly poised picture of royalty is irrelevant. She’s human, and it’s time we treat her like it. She elected to do what was right for her and her family despite scrutiny from the media and the royal family. Despite opposition from the literal queen.

It should not need to be said in 2021 that all women deserve respect, but apparently, it does. All women deserve respect, especially women like Meghan Markle. Meghan Markle represents us all. She represents the woman who wants privacy in the days after giving birth to her first child. The woman who gets upset with her sister-in-law, then has to defend herself against a twisted version of the story making national news. She represents the women whose health and happiness came second because of damaging stigmas. She represents the woman of color who doesn’t ever get a fair shot, no matter how hard they try to do everything "right."

Like her or not, every woman can see a part of herself in Meghan Markle. That’s why it’s so important to support each other. While the royal family didn’t speak out in support of Meghan Markle, 72 female members of British parliament did. We can only hope that the next time a beautiful, strong, intelligent woman of color joins Britain’s royal family, they think twice about how they treat her. Then, they treat her right.

#meghan markle #duchess of sussex #royals #brf #british royal family #prince harry #duke of sussex

35 notes · View notes